Osprey Observer Brandon/Winthrop September 2022

HOMEGROWN FUN & ENTERTAINMENT IS BETTER THAN EVER AT THE 2022 HILLBOROUGH COUNTY FAIR

Fall is the perfect time in Florida to enjoy the outdoors, and what better way than to visit the 2022 Hillsborough County Fair? The theme of this year’s fair, ‘Home grown Fun,’ is just a glimmer of all the fair has to ofer, which in cludes an expanded car nival with spectacular midway rides and new kiddie rides, free enter tainment for high-speed thrill seekers and motor enthusiasts, a cattle women’s beef cook-of, beauty pageants for all ages and lots of discounts for the entire family.

The fair will run for 11 full days, ofering more time to enjoy the rides, food and ex hibits at the Hillsborough County Fairgrounds in Dover, just east of Brandon, from Thursday, November 3 to Sunday, Novem ber

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to the fair, the Harvest Queen Scholarship Pageant will take place on Sat urday, October 1. Youth contestants from Hillsborough County will grace the stage to compete in the annual scholarship pageant for the title of Hillsborough County Fair Harvest Queen and Junior Harvest Queen, which serve as the fair ambassadors for the 2022 fair.

This year, free daily entertainment will in clude the Camel Kingdom Show, Disc-Con nected K9s and the educational Firefighter Show.Take a stroll through the historical Hometown Hillsborough area and the fair invites children of all ages to participate in Cowboy Camp by Les McDowell to enjoy

By Brad Stager

some fun of yes DistrictCountyteryears!HillsboroughSchoolo fers school exhib it displays in the ‘Little thusiastspetspecialBuilding.footthefromSales,Livestockfairlightsstages!fromandandtertainmentrelaxSitSchoolhouse.’ReddownandinourEnPavilionenjoythesoundsentertainmentthecommunityOneofthehighofeachyear’saretheYouthShowsandwhichwillbeheldNovember3-13innew18,000-square-LivestockExhibitionAdditionally,arenaeventsforandmotorsportenareback.The

Bulls, Broncos and Barrel Racing Rodeo for budding cowboys will be held on Friday and Saturday, November 4 and 5.

The ever-exciting Demolition Derby for motor enthusiasts who enjoy watching drivers of cars, mini-vans and station wag ons deliberately ram into each other will make its return to the fair on November 13.

The fair wouldn’t be complete without the Truck and Tractor Pull on Friday and Saturday, November 11 and 12, where you can watch antique tractors, hotrods and the BIG BOY trucks and tractors come out to compete in our dirt arena.

For ticket purchasing information and promos, including a special online-only Ad vanced Purchase Family Package, as well as fair hours and event schedules, visit hillsboroughcountyfair.com/2022-fair/.https://

Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) Chapter 787 in Tampa will hold its 18th annual Charity Car show on Saturday, October 22 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Hills borough County Veterans Memorial Park, located at 3602 U.S. Hwy. 301 in Tam pa, just 1 mile south of I-4. The park opens at 8 a.m. and registration is from 9-11 a.m.

This annual event helps to raise funds for the many veteran support programs of the VVA. Some of the programs in clude holiday meals and gift cards to veteran families, awards to JROTC ca dets at Hillsborough County high schools, assistance for other veteran support or ganizations and participation in various veteran educational and support events. The opening ceremony begins at 12 Noon with the color guard presentation from Durant High School JROTC. Awards will be given at 1:30 p.m.

As with past shows, there are be tween 70-100 participants expected from throughout the central west coast of Florida. Awards will be presented to the top 10 vehicles from 1973 and newer, top 15 from 1972 and older, best survi vor and best rat rod. And of course, best of show and best of show runner-up. Additionally, door prizes, donated by our sponsors, will be given to randomly se lected participants. This is a family-ori ented show that features all types of vehicles. There will also be oldies music,

a 50/50 drawing and food to enjoy. The show has al ways been well attended, as spectators come not just for the cars but also to view the various memo rials at the Tampa Veter ans Memorial Park as well as visit the Rear Admiral LeRoy Collins, Jr. Veterans

Museum.Preregistration dona tion is $15 until October 15, with a registration do nation of $20 October 16

through the day of the show. The show is free for spectators, and there is no park ing charge. For additional information or questions, contact Herman (813-7779450), Jim (813-352-276) or Seth (813731-6738).Information about the programs the VVA sponsors and other VVA events can be found on the website at www.vva787.

org.Vietnam Veterans of America is the nation’s only congressionally chartered veteran’s service organization dedicat ed to the needs to Vietnam-era veterans and their families. VVA’s founding princi ple is: “Never again will one generation of veterans abandon another.”

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GLORY DAYS GRILL DONATES TO ARMWOOD HIGH SCHOOL AFTER FIRST BURGER BOWL

Glory Days Grill, located at 11310 Causeway Blvd. in Brandon, raised $1,000 to donate to Armwood High School in the first week of Septem ber after they won the Armwood gameballHighBloomingdaleatSchoolfootgame.Therivalrytookplace

on September 2 and was the second game of the regular season for each school. The Armwood Hawks outscored the Bulls on Bloomingdale’s field 28-14 and the Armwood Athlet ics Department was awarded the dona tion from Glory Days after the win.

“We have a great relationship with both schools, and being in volved and supporting our community and youth athletics is one of our brand pillars,” said Jennifer Ulmer, Glory Days vice presi dent of marketing and public relations.

Brandon’s Glory Days Grill and their team of generous employees have been working on sponsoring the event for a few years now. Brandon partner Deon McClendon final ly got the initiative of the ground, making the 2022 rivalry game the inaugural Burger Bowl.“Deon is a graduate from Armwood [High School],” explained Ulmer about the moti

By Lily Belcher

vation to sponsor the game. “[He is] also passionate about supporting our two local high schools in the BrandonLeadingarea.”up to the September game, Glory Days raised the funds at its Brandon loca tion by rafing of “a Yeti cooler filled with swag and goodies.”

Glory Days plans to sponsor the Armwood vs Bloomingdale foot ball game each fall by donating a check to the winner of the match.

Glory Days has hosted similar fundraisers for other high schools in the past to support the community through oth er local markets.

Glory Days is known as a family-friendly, sports-themed grill committed to both the quality of its food and community involve ment. Through initiatives like the Burger Bowl, the company keeps its promise of supporting local sports groups and the com munity.Thesports restaurant has won the Restau rant Neighbor Award 16 times and the Com munity Partnership Award five times from the National Restaurant Association and works with seven charitable partners to help the community it serves.

For more information on Glory Days Grill, visit www.glorydaysgrill.com/community.

BRING FAMILY TO HEIFER LIVING GIFT MARKET TO HELP END HUNGER

Would you like to be a part of helping people in need be free from hunger and have the chance to become self-re liant? If making a life-changing difer ence for someone in need is on your bucket list, come join us at the Heifer Liv ing Gift Market on Sunday, October 16. This alternative gift giving opportunity will be held at the First Presbyterian Church of Brandon’s fellowship hall at 121 Carver Ave. in Bran don from 10:30 a.m.12:30

Thisp.m.‘market’ will provide an oppor tunity to ‘purchase’ Heifer animals or shares of animals like pigs, sheep, goats, cows, chicks or even water bufalo that will be distributed, along with education and training, to needy families around the world. This is not a handout but an actual opportunity for the recipients of these animals to become self-reliant. Heif er International (www.heifer.org) has a special approach to sustainable develop ment wherein the animal recipients “pass on the gift” by sharing an ofspring of their animal along with education about its care to another family in need, who then does likewise. This expands the network of hope around the globe.

The Heifer Living Gift Market is free to

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attend and open to the public. Visitors of all ages will enjoy interesting exhibits presented in fun and informative ways, special activities for the kids, a chance to bid on gift baskets, a silent auction and a simple meal. All donations will go to Heifer In Forternational.eachanimal

or share of an an imal ‘purchased,’ donors will receive a specially designed honor card that can be sent to a loved one as an alterna tive gift. (Chances are good that some of the folks on your Christmas list, that already have every thing they need, would love to know that a gift given in their honor went to make a life-changing diference for someone in need.)“The whole church gets involved, wear ing costumes, educating visitors and raising funds for this worthy cause. It is a great event for the whole family,” said Pastor Mike McCormack.

Come join in the fun, help people in need and make a lasting diference. Give the gift that truly keeps on giving.

For more information, contact the church ofce at 813-689-4597 or visit its website at www.fpcbrandon.org.

Early Risers Bible Study sponsored the chicken booth.

Deon McClendon presents a donation of $1,000 from Glory Days Grill in Brandon with the restaurant’s mascot, Gofer D. Glory.

Armwood High School beat Bloomingdale High School and won $1,000, donated by Glory Days Grill in Brandon.

First Presbyterian Missions Team sponsored the Heifer booth.

JACK OWENS AWARDED 51ST ANNUAL TONY SALADINO MEMORIAL BASEBALL AWARD

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part of those great play ers is insane to me,” said Owens. “I was always the smallest kid, and even to day I still am, but Kris has trained me to the max to become the best player I can possibly be.”

The Stetson University commit was recognized for his exceptional talent on the field, boasting a 1.80 ERA and 53 strike outs over 35 innings pitched. He batted .460 with 17 RBIs and five homeruns, showcas ing impressive talent both on the mound and at the Whileplate.the Saladino Award is given to an outstanding athlete, the character, leader ship and scholarship of the recipient is tak en into consideration. Owens, in addition to being team captain, was on the principal’s honor roll and led the team to the state title as a junior last year.

“Jack understands that without account able actions for himself, he can’t create trust

By Lily Belcher

among those he’s leading,” said Wilk en in his nomination of Owens. “… Jack is tough, teamexpressedmateing.”respectfulaccountable,andcarOwenssaidteamMakyeHayesthattheplayeddi

fer ently when Ow ens is on the field. Owens took this to heart and reflected on how his performance could impact the team. He narrowed it down to one quote he tries to live by: “Treat others how you would want to be treated.”

“Just by that quote I ended up pitching the best game,” said the Saladino Award recipient. “We end ed up winning, and, most importantly, we all had fun because it doesn’t matter the talent level — if the chemistry level on a team is high, you will win.”The 5’11” Valrico native is the third award recipient from Bloomingdale High School, following Mike Valdes in 1995 and Ryan Strauss in 2004.

“The Tony Saladino Memorial Baseball Award was established in 1971 and is pre sented annually to the outstanding high school senior baseball player in Hillsborough County as a memorial for my late father and my late wife, Bertha, to promote high school baseball,” said Tony Saladino.

SPECIALLY DESIGNED T-SHIRTS AND STICKERS WILL HONOR LEGACY OF POPULAR MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHER

Kelli Michael, a Mul rennan Middle School science teacher, passed away suddenly from acute lympho blastic leukemia last month. Kelli taught for 27 years in the Hillsborough County school system, teach ing locally throughout her career, beginning at Alafia Elementa ry, then teaching at Buckhorn Elementary and most recently be ing a science teacher at Mulrennan Middle School. She is sur vived by her husband, Brian Michael, and two children, Sean and Shane. Kelli was recently selected by the Tampa Bay Light ning as January’s Future Goals Most Valuable Teacher as part of the NHL’s Most Valuable Teacher program. Additionally, Kelli was previously awarded Teacher of the Year at Buckhorn Elementary.Shewas also a Les Mills aerobics in structor at the YMCA and had a faithful following. Kelli advocated for the educa tion of the mind and physical fitness for the body as she felt it was also good for the spirit. She was a great example to those around her, as she actively partici pated in 5K events for various causes. Her favorite event and charity was Relay for Life because she had loved ones who

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sufered or passed from cancer. She was an active participant through her school and was able to help raise awareness about this tragic disease that touches the lives of so many.Because of her dedi cation to Relay For Life, this year, Buckhorn El ementary, Mulrennan Middle School and Du rant High School are all joining together to honor Kelli. They have created a campaign to raise money with the sale of a custom T-shirt and stickers.

“She loved the schools, this commu nity and Relay for Life. The theme, ‘Curing Cancer Would Be Re lay Sweet,’ paired with Kelli’s favorite animal, the koala, will create a shirt we hope to see everywhere,” said Brian.

Shirts are $20 and are on sale until Fri day, October 14. The proceeds will go to Relay for Life and a fund to assist her two children.Localbusinesses, such as Daily Blends of Valrico, have put her sticker on their store window. The family would love to see other community members and local businesses support these eforts in her honor as well.

For more information or to purchase T-shirts and stickers, contact Tifany Schr efer at tifany.schrefer@hcps.net.

Mother Angela Owens, son Jack Owens, Tony Sal adino, and father Jack Owens as the Bloomingda le graduate receives the Saladino Award.

Kelli with fellow Mulrenann Relay For Life Team Members.

Kelli Michael was always dressed and ready to support Relay For Life.

TRAVELING TRIBUTE WALL HONORING VETERANS AND FIRST RESPONDERS COMES TO TAMPA IN OCTOBER Staf Report

A weeklong celebra tion and remembrance of veterans and first re sponders will begin with the arrival and display of the American Veterans Traveling Tribute Wall (AVTT) at Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park in Tam pa. The AVTT, sponsored by the Chapters Health Valor Program, is an 80-percent-scale repli ca of the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington D.C. and will be open for free public viewing from Thursday through Sun day, October 13-16.

The AVTT also includes individualized memorials for all conflicts occurring since World War I and a 9/11 tribute. The expan siveness of AVTT’s me morial presentation will be compelling for many.

In celebration and remembrance of veterans and frst responders, the American Veterans Traveling Tribute Wall, sponsored by the Chapters Health Valor Program, will be arriving to be displayed in October at Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park in Tampa.

As part of its annual pro gramming, Chapters Health Foundation will hold its highly anticipated ‘Rock the Dock’ fundraising event at the Tampa River Center at Julian B. Lane Riv erfront Park on Saturday, October 15. This year’s Rock the Dock, which includes an eve ning of celebration, food, music and fun, will raise funds for the Chapters Health Valor Program. The program provides knowledge able, compassionate care; physical, emotion al and spiritual support; recognition of sac rifice and service; and guidance to veterans, first responders and their families.

Combined, these two events will impact the greater Tampa market significantly.

Similar AVTT events have generated public attendance exceeding 20,000 participants, and Rock the Dock draws at tendance of more than 400Ticketsguests.and sponsor ships are available for Rock the Dock at

fcial escort of the Traveling Tribute Wall to its Tampa loca tion and ending on Sun day, October 16 with a closing ceremony at 2 p.m. There are also several special sponsorship opportunities, ranging from $500-$5,000, that allow for mean ingful involvement in this memorable event as well as unique opportunities to connect with the community. Along with the ben efits of social media acknowledgements, event program inclusion, Chapters Health System website recognition and Rock the Dock sponsor listing recognition, each spon sor level ofers unique recognition amenities specific to the opportunity.

For information, call 813-533-0580, email valorprogram@chaptershealth.org or visit www.chapterstravelingtributewall.com.

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VISIT TAMPA BAY OFFERS CRAFT BEER PASSES TO LOCAL BREWERIES

Tampa Bay is known for many things, but its numer ous craft beer breweries are what make our fair city the most popular.

It’s so popular that Visit Tampa Bay has created a Bay Crafted Brewery Pass. “With the Tampa Bay region being home to the greatest concentration of craft breweries in the state of Florida, it’s impossible to tell the destination’s story without including craft beer,” said Visit Tampa Bay’s director of public relations, Vanessa Evans. “As a des tination that works closely with our part ners and one that is always looking for the next diferentiator, Visit Tampa Bay started working with its craft brewery partners several years ago, and the success since that time has been tremendous.”

The Bay Crafted Pass was designed to drive economic impact to partner brew eries in Hillsborough County by marketing to beer and cocktail enthusiasts in Florida and drive markets. “Visitors would down load the electronic passport, check in at diferent breweries via geo targeting and be able to claim prizes from Visit Tampa Bay if enough locations were visited,” Evans said. “As a partnership-based organization, Visit Tampa Bay presented the opportunity to be included in the Bay Crafted campaign to all its craft brewery partners located within Hillsborough County. New breweries can be added at any time, so long as they are locat ed within the destination.”

The Bay Crafted Pass is 100 percent free. Guests can access the electronic passport on their mobile device and will receive more information on over 20 participating brew

By Libby Hopkins

eries. “While there is no ‘brewery tour’ included with the Bay Craft ed Pass, guests will be able to virtually check in and log visits

to diferent locations,” Evens said. “Guests would essentially visit each brewery as they would any other establishment; however, by visiting enough locations, guests can redeem prizes from the Unlock Tampa Bay Visitors Center in downtown Tampa. Prizes include a Bay Crafted pint glass, a Bay Crafted T-shirt and a Tampa Bay cocktail guide.”

Craft beer is woven into the fabric of all Visit Tampa Bay’s marketing to food and drink enthusiasts, but people don’t travel specifically for craft beer anymore. “It’s everywhere,” Evans said. “Visitors expect something local on tap wherever they visit. But while many cities claim to be craft beer destinations, Tampa Bay is one of the origi nal and best, especially in Florida.”

Visit Tampa Bay incorporates the destina tion’s local craft beer scene into its diverse array of available options for visitors who like nightlife, elevated dining and worldclass attractions. “The organization recent ly hit the road this summer, visiting target markets across the northeast to participate in ‘tap takeovers’ with bars ofering iconic Tampa Bay brew on special,” Evans said. “Coming up, Visit Tampa Bay will contin ue to include the local craft beer scene as part of its focus on foodies to support the destination being included in the first-ever MICHELIN Guide to Florida.”

For more information on the Bay Craft ed Brewery Pass, visit www.visittampabay. com/baycrafted/pass.

Visit Tampa Bay has created a Bay Crafted Brewery Pass. Tis pass is free and can be downloaded onto your phone.

TAMPA BAY WATER

DELIVERING MORE DRINKING WATER TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY

Tampa Bay Wa ter is now

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on South Mount Carmel Road in Brandon. These pumps connect to and send more drinking wa ter through the Brandon Transmission Main — up to 5 million gallons per day (mgd) of existing regional water supply — to Hillsborough County’s Lithia Water Treatment Plant before the permanent booster station facility is com plete by the end of 2023.

South Mount Carmel and Durant roads, which were closed during construction, have reopened to trafc.

“We’re proud to have successfully im plemented another of our short-term solu tions to bring more water to fast-growing southern Hillsborough County,” said Chuck Carden, Tampa Bay Water’s general man ager. “Thank you to the residents in the area for your patience and understanding while we construct this important compo nent of our supply system.”

Temporary pumping, combined with oth er solutions Tampa Bay Water implement ed in recent months, delivers more water to southern Hillsborough County and reduces the utility’s reliance on the South-central Hillsborough Regional Wellfield to meet increasing drinking water demands. Other

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solutions ednection,LithiasionBrandoncontrol–Installingincluded:anewvalveontheTransmisMainatthePointofConwhichadd1mgdofwaterto the south county area.

–Increasing the rated capacity of the Lithia Hydrogen Sulfide Treat ment Facility, which in creased the maximum flow rate by 5 mgd.

–Expanding the Re gional Facility High Ser vice Pump Station that increases the pumping capacity by 10-12 mgd.

Other long-term projects are in the works to meet Hillsborough County’s and the Tampa Bay region’s water needs for 2028 and beyond. Tampa Bay Water’s board of directors recently approved ex panding the utility’s Tampa Bay Regional Surface Water Treatment Plant by 10-12.5 mgd by 2028. The board was expected to select a pipeline route at its meeting on Monday, September to bring 65 mgd to the county by 2028.

Tampa Bay Water is the largest whole sale water supplier in Florida, providing high-quality drinking water to its members that, in turn, supply water to more than 2.5 million residents of the Tampa Bay area. Tampa Bay Water member governments include Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties and the cities of New Port Richey, St. Petersburg and Tampa. To learn more, visit www.tampabaywater.org.

TGH ICE PLEX FIGURE SKATING TEAM PLACES SEVENTH IN TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS

TGH Ice Plex Fig ure Skating Team traveled to Bensen ville, Illinois in the national Ice Sports Industry (ISI) World Recreational Team Champion ships from August 4-7. The team, led by Coaches Alyssa Krajacic and Alexis Van Vliet, is com posed on 19 skat ers that competed across three rinks in The Edge Ice Arenas.“They competed in individual events, partner events, and we also had four group numbers. Each person had multiple events they competed in,” explained Coach Alexis Van Vliet.

If a skater was awarded a medal in their event, they would recurve the points in favor of that skater’s team in the rink. This allowed the TGH Ice Plex team to place seventh out of the 60 rink teams competing in the cham pionships.“Itwas fun to hang out with my skat ing friends and support each other,” said 12-year-old skater Molly Kearns, who competed in ten events during the Cham pionship.Theteam also won the Overall Per centage Award, which is presented to the team of five or more skaters with the highest point percentage per skater that

By Lily Belcher

did not place in the Top Five or win an alternative award.

Van Vliet said win ning the award was “a huge success and honor” for the Tam pa“BecauseTeam. of that, we revived a banner and a trophy, which are displayed at our rink,” said Van Vliet. “Everyone had a blast, they skated great, made won derful memories, and got to explore the city of Chicago.”

The annual theirriesnityitfouracross112amountedChampionshipsTeamtooverhoursofskatingthreerinksindays.Formany,wasanopportutomakememoandboundwithteammates.

The TGH Ice Plex, in addition to being the training facility of the Tampa Bay Lightning, is an ISI sanctioned school that teaches figure skating to groups or indi viduals. They ofer freestyle sessions, pri vate lessons, and synchronized teams for aspiring figure skaters and veterans of the sport.For more information on competitions and training options for figure skaters through the TGH Ice Plex, visit the web site at tghiceplex.com/figure-skating or contact Skating Director Tommy Brannen at tommy.brannen@TGHIcePlex.com or 684-7825 ext 252.

TGH Ice Plex Team celebrated placing seventh and winning Overall Percentage Award at the beginning of August.

TGH Ice Plex Team hangs banner from winning the Overall Percentage Award at championships.

NEW WALMART HEALTH CARE CLINIC OFFERS FULL SERVICE OFFICE AT CAUSEWAY LOCATION

By Brad Stager

able on Sundays. The cost of services provided by the clinic is posted online, ranging from a complete blood count for $8-$68 for a Department of Transportation physical and uri nalysis. Medicare and Medicaid payments are accepted, as are many insurance plans. Appoint ments can be made online, and walk-in service is available.

While the idea of retail health care may be new to Florida pa tients, Dr. Pulluru said Walmart Health has gotten positive feed back from people who have used the clinics in other states.

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BUCS HOSTS USA WHEELCHAIR FOOTBALL LEAGUE TOURNAMENT

By Lily Belcher

The Hills borough Coun ty

Walmart Health has opened its second Tampa Bay area Care Clinic at the re tailer’s Brandon store, located at 11108 Causeway Blvd., just east of I-75 at Bran don Town Center Drive.

The clinic ofers primary medical and dental care and basic lab services like blood draws and taking X-rays.

Dr. Soujanya Pulluru, vice president of clinical operations for Walmart Health, said the new clinic addresses consumer health care concerns like convenience and cost.“This state-of-the-art facility provides a range of health care services in one con venient location for members of the local community so they can get the right care at the right time, right in their communi ty; we want to meet them where they live. We also know that the cost and conve nience of health care remains a barrier for manyWalmartAmericans.”Health ofcials said its clinics open early and close late and are open on Saturdays, with telehealth options avail

“Before expanding into Flori da earlier this year, Walmart Health sur veyed patients in existing locations across Arkansas, Georgia and Illinois. Ninety-six percent of our patients reported that they ‘felt cared for’ and had their health needs met during their visits to Walmart Health. We are thrilled to ofer this same quality care across Florida and now in the Bran donThecommunity.”Brandon Walmart Care Clinic is the sixth one to open in Florida. The retail giant has long provided optical, pharma ceutical and vaccination services for its customers, and the move to more com prehensive in-store medical care comes at a time when smaller consumer-fac ing businesses like pharmacies are also providing clinical options of their own in some locations.

The Walmart Care Clinics are open 7:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m., Monday through Fri day, and from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday. Telehealth service is available on Sunday when the clinic is not stafed.

for the title,

with the Kansas City Chiefs emerging victorious at the end of the tournament.

“Everybody can play football. Just be cause you are in a wheelchair doesn’t mean you can’t play football,” encour aged Hillsborough County Buccaneers Wheelchair Football Team coach Wayne Bozeman.Thisis the first time Hillsborough County has hosted the tournament and only the second time the Hillsborough County Buccaneers have participated. The team of 20 athletes, from 20-50 years of age, have been practicing since May and placed fourth at the end of Au gust, losing to the Arizona Cardinals.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers showed their support through the partnership and provided helmet decals, shirts and a pep talk by former Buccaneers safe ty and Superbowl MVP Dexter Jackson. Jackson spoke to the team during the Friday night banquet that served dinner and drinks to the athletes as they got to know one another better.

play football, according to its website. The league was made possible by the NFL Salute to Service Award and the Bob Woodru f Foundation.

“The wheelchairs run from $4000 to $7000, just for a sports chair to play in,” said Bozeman. “With the support of the community, they can get these for the kids [and] put it in the program. [Then,] the program has a chair they can use for everybody, not just one person.”

Hillsborough County Parks and Rec reation hosts year-round sports, from archery to basketball to track and field, through its Adaptive Sports program, which now includes football. The avail ability of these sports to those in wheel chairs promotes a healthy and active lifestyle for all participants while en couraging a fun and supportive commu nity.For more information on the Hillsbor ough County Buccaneers Wheelchair Football Team, visit its website at www. hillsboroughcounty.org or contact Mary Cales at 813-416-0467.

Football is not the first sport

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Te Hillsborough County Buccaneers huddle midgame in the annual USA Wheelchair Football League tournament.

From left to right: Broderick Brown, assistant center adminis trator; Judy O’Hara, center administrator; Stacey Webb; and Nick Fletcher, store manager, mark the opening of Walmart Health’s newest Care Clinic at the Brandon Supercenter on Causeway.

HCC’S NEW BRANDON CAMPUS PRESIDENT SET FOR TODAY’S CHALLENGES

The road from law to ac ademia has been a seam less one for Deborah Kish Johansen, who in January started her job as president of Hillsborough Communi ty College’s (HCC) Brandon campus and is chair-elect for the Greater Brandon Cham ber of LicensedCommerce.topractice cor porate law, Johansen said she entered the collegiate career track after learning of an opportunity through a previous chamber afliation and then serving as an ad junct professor at Valencia College in Orlando, where she taught business law.

“I loved being around students on the col lege campus and seeing the light bulbs go of,” said Johansen, whose subsequent rise in academia took her to Colorado, Arizona and back again to Florida. She’s held posi tions of chief academic ofcer, chief operat ing ofcer, academic dean and graduate and undergraduate faculty, and before Brandon she was vice president of academic afairs at Northwest Florida State College in Nicev ille.Johansen said Brandon campus issues in clude shifting enrollment patterns, ongoing attention to health and safety support, de ferred maintenance of facilities and support for new programs and activities.

“Enrollment decline is a national issue, and we are no diferent,” Johansen said. “We do see some enrollment growth this fall semes ter, and we are excited about that.”

To maintain momentum, “we need to meet the modern challenges of students who want diferent flexibilities and learning

By Linda Chion

styles,” Johansen said, as she noted hybrid learning oppor tunities that involve both inclass and online instruction.

In the works is the FIN TECH program for financial technologies, which would include studies in cybersecu rity and apps for online bank ing and investment services.

Under research is a certifi cate ofering, followed by a two-year degree program and a connection with HCC’s four-year college partners, Johansen said.

Newly established is HCC’s associate degree program in supply chain management, an especially relevant field today, Johansen said. She noted as well aquaculture and biotechnology studies, which, through the FUSE program, forges a pathway to biolo gy degree studies at the University of South Florida.Inkeeping with its workforce readiness focus, HCC this fall launched the Bachelor of Science in nursing degree for registered nurses to continue their studies, the first four-year degree program ofered in HCC’s 54-year history. It’s aimed to address the critical shortage of nurses locally and na tionwide.Alsonew this fall is the Pre-Health So ciety, under the auspices of the American Medical Student Association Club.

Johansen plugged as well the seventh annual Hawk Run, scheduled for Saturday, October 22, “which last year raised enough money to start an endowment for scholar ship perpetuity,” she said.

For more on Johansen and HCC Brandon campus oferings, visit www.hccfl.edu.

FREEDOM TO WALK FOUNDATION HOSTS BLING & JEANS GALA

The Freedom to Walk Foundation is a local nonprofit or ganization dedicated to assisting patients and their families by providing financial as sistance for the pur chase of WalkAide® or Bioness devices for children and adults ex periencing foot drop.

Foot drop is a med ical condition charac terized by weakness or paralysis of the muscles involved in lifting the front part of the foot. It is a gait abnor mality that often occurs following a stroke, spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, or due to multiple sclerosis or cerebral palsy.

Russell Parker and his family will be in attendance at Te Freedom to Walk Foun dation’s annual Bling & Jeans Gala. Parker is the foundation’s most recent recipient for a device to help him walk.

By Libby Hopkins

& Civic Association in Brandon. Attendees will dress to impress and wear shiny jewelry. Some are creative and add rhinestones to their

jeans.”Since 2013, the galas have been held at the Centre Club in Tampa, and in 2019 at the Tam pa Airport Marriott.

Foot drop causes a person to either drag their foot and toes or engage in a high-step ping walk called steppage gait. A significant number of individuals experience difculty with the simplest day-to-day activities be cause of foot drop.

Most insurance companies are denying coverage for these devices. With an out-ofpocket cost of $5,500 for the Bioness L300 Go and $3,000 for the WalkAide, the costs are prohibitive for many who see these de vices as invaluable opportunities to improve their quality of life.

The Freedom to Walk Foundation hosts a yearly fundraiser called the Bling & Jeans Gala to help raise the funds to help families purchase WalkAides or Bioness devices. “Since 2013, the Freedom to Walk Founda tion has celebrated the end of the year with a themed gala,” said the Freedom to Walk Foundation’s founder and president, Daisy Vega. “We are excited to be back with the Bling & Jeans Gala at Center Place Fine Arts

“This year, with every one recovering from the impact of the past two years, Center Place Fine Arts & Civic Association was chosen to have our Bling & Jeans Gala,” Vega said. “Thanks to the busi nesses and our local community, attendees will enjoy fine dining from Cibo Delizioso, a silent auction and dancing.”

The foundation’s most recent recipient, Russell Parker, along with his family, will be in attendance at the gala this year. “Rus sell, our testimonial speaker, will tell his story and how the device has enriched his life,” Vega said. “We hope our gala will also raise awareness about the Freedom to Walk Foundation’s mission to continue to educate, inspire and empower individuals with foot drop on how to overcome financial obsta cles through fundraising eforts and to sub sidize the cost of the Bioness L300 Go and WalkAide device, which helps them to walk safely.”Ifyou are interested in being a sponsor, contact Vega at daisy.vega@freedomtow alkfoundation.org. This year’s Bling & Jeans Gala will be held on Saturday, October 8 from 6-11 p.m. at Center Place Fine Arts & Civic Association, located at 619 Vonder burg Dr., Ste. B in Brandon inside the Bran don Regional Library.

The Jim Kennedy Scholarship Fund was created and is personally funded by Jim Kennedy to help Cox employees provide for their most important investment — the future of their children. Established in 2008, the scholarship provides $10,000 annually toward the cost of tuition for 15 selected recipients each year. The program is open to any high school senior whose parent has worked at a Cox company full-time for at least three years.

Congrats to Kennedy Scholarship Fund Recipients! Malinchak

Jacob and Shawn Malinchak

Deborah Kish Johansen.

TAMPA COMPANY MAKES SPACEWEAR FOR ARTEMIS I MISSION

By Brad Stager

for high-energy radiation. We have specific products for protecting first responders to radiological in cidents, physicians working with radiation in hospitals and astro nauts venturing into deep space, where they may be exposed to high-energy radiation.”

LA ALIVE WITH MADE-FROM-SCRATCH CUBAN FARE

By Sharon Still

The launching of the Artemis I mission from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center is a major event in America’s space exploration program, and among the moon-orbiting craft’s payload are two fe male mannequins wearing protective vests from a local company seeking safety im provements for people working in radioac tiveOneenvironments.ofthebiggest risk factors for astro nauts is their exposure to high-energy ra diation that exists beyond Earth’s lower at mosphere. Such cell-damaging exposure is a danger that earthbound workers, such as those employed in the medical field, some times face as well.

StemRad is a Tampa company develop ing protective clothing and accessories that can protect people’s bodies from radiation, whether it comes from the galactic cosmos or medical treatment and diagnostic sourc es, such as CT scans and nuclear procedures.

Oren Milstein is the CEO and founder of StemRad. He said the company ofers im portant options in the safety equipment marketplace.“Wearethe only company in the world that provides wearable radiation protection

Products available from Stem Rad range from exoskeleton-sup ported full-length aprons to selec tive protection equipment allowing for maximum mobility and comfort. For those who like to be prepared, there are protective-wear products suitable for home, ofce and travel.

The two female form mannequins rid ing in the Orion crew capsule will test how well StemRad’s technology protects against gamma radiation exposure. One, named Zo har (sponsored by the Israel Space agency), will wear a protective vest with sensors to test efectiveness, and the other, named Helga (sponsored by the German Aerospace Center), will wear only sensors to measure unprotected radiation exposure.

StemRad was founded in 2011 in Israel as a response to the need for radiation protec tion solutions following the Fukushima, Ja pan earthquake and ensuing nuclear reactor explosions in March of that year. Oren said the move to Tampa from Tel Aviv is working out“Twowell.entities here in Tampa have been especially supportive of us, the first being FIBA (Florida Israel Business Accelerator) and Embarc Collective. The former drew us to the area and opened doors to customers and investors, the latter has been our home since before the pandemic and has been ex tremely supportive ever since.”

You can learn more about StemRad at https://stemrad.com/.

For nearly three de cades, La Septima Cafe has served authen tic Cuban fare to the Brandon community. Through a change of location in 2011, having to abruptly shut down due to COVID-19 and struggling to find peo ple who want to work, the restaurant is con stantly adapting and continues to attract a crowd daily and nightly. “Without our communi ty support, we would probably not be here today,” proclaimed co-owner Dahlia Fernandez.

She and husband Ronnie have spent a majority of their lives in the restaurant business. “We have never looked back. La Sep tima is our crown jewel,” she said.Truly family-owned and operated, daugh ter Jennifer handles human resources and accounts payable while son RJ is the gen eral manager. Recently, eldest granddaugh ters Ana and Adriana also joined the team. “Working with family has its challenges, but it has more advantages,” said Dahlia, refer ring to herself and Ronnie as the ultimate overseers. “It is truly a blessing to have all the watchful eyes on the business.”

Throughout the years, the Fernandez fam ily has remained true to its product and true to its loyal patrons.

La Septima’s tagline, “A Taste of Old Ybor,” is exemplified throughout the menu with items like ropa vieja (flank steak), bread ed palomilla steak and pescado a la Rusa (whitefish). Other oferings include soup,

salad, sandwiches and combinations. The Cuban sandwich, devil crabs and Sev enth Avenue salad are the most popular and come highly rec ommended.“Our success comes from our pas sion to keep every menu item consis tent in flavor and quality,” remarked Dahlia.LaSeptima’s fami ly meals, introduced during the pandemic, also are a big hit and a great bang for your buck with most priced at $39.95. Suitable for a family of four, guests can choose from a selection of the signature dishes, all of which come with rice, salad, black beans, Cuban bread and a 2-liter bottle of soda.At La Septima, everything is made from scratch, including the salad dressing, soup, flan, cheesecake and everything in between. Dahlia stressed the importance of quality food and a friendly staf, noting that the lat ter proves to be more difcult.

“We have made so many friends along the way through these years; we are mostly grateful to this beautiful community for our success,” she added.

La Septima Cafe is located in La Viva Plaza at 702 W. Lumsden Rd. in Brandon. Dine-in, takeout, delivery and catering are available. Open for lunch and dinner Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m., and is closed on Sunday. Visit www.laseptimacafe.com or call 813-685-0502 for further details.

An illustration of two Artemis I space-test mannequins as passen gers in the crew capsule of an Orion spacecraft.

Locally owned La Septima was founded more than 30 years ago by the Fernandez family and remains a community favorite.

AAA urges motorists to slow down and stay alert; they will soon be shar ing the road with millions of Florida stu dents who are returning to school. Not doing so can have life-changing conse quences.According to the Transportation Re search Board, about 100 children are killed each year while walking to or from school and about 25,000 are injured. The afternoon hours are particularly dangerous. Over the last decade, near ly one-in-four child pedestrian fatalities occurred between 3 and 7 p.m.

Drivers should prepare for an increase in:•

Congestion – more drivers in the morning and afternoon.

• Pedestrians – students walking to and from school or the bus stop.

• Buses – picking up and dropping o f students.•Bicyclists – traveling to and from school.“AAA urges drivers to allow extra time for their morning commute and use ex treme caution, even outside of school zones,” said Mark Jenkins, spokesman of AAA – The Auto Club Group. “Throughout town, students will be walking or pedal ing alongside city streets on their way toand-from school or the bus stop, and they may not be familiar with the rules of the road. It’s incumbent on drivers to elimi nate distractions, slow down and watch out for students and their families.”

AAA – The Auto Club Group, through its School’s Open – Drive Carefully cam paign, is reminding motorists to:

• Slow down. Speed limits in school zones are reduced for a reason. A pedes trian struck by a vehicle traveling at 25

mph is nearly two-thirds less likely to be killed compared to a pedestrian struck by a vehicle traveling just 10 mph faster.

• Come to a complete stop. Research shows that more than one-third of driv ers roll through stop signs in school

for just two seconds doubles your chanc es of crashing. Children can move quick ly, crossing the road unexpectedly or emerging suddenly between two parked cars. Reduce risk by avoiding distrac tions like using your cell phone or eating while driving.

• Watch for school buses. Every state has a law making it illegal to pass a school bus with its red lights flashing and its stop-arm extended that has stopped to load or unload students. However, some motorists simply choose to ignore the law. Any person using, operating or driving a vehicle on or over the roads or highways of this state shall, upon ap proaching any school bus that displays a stop signal, bring such vehicle to a full stop while the bus is stopped, and the vehicle shall not pass the school bus until the signal has been withdrawn.

• Share the road. Chil dren on bicycles are of ten inexperienced, un steady and unpredictable. Slow down and allow at least three feet of pass ing distance between your vehicle and a bicyclist. If your child rides a bicycle to school, require that he or she wear a properly fitted bicycle helmet on every ride. Find videos, expert advice and safe ty tips at ShareTheRoad.AAA.com.

• Talk to your teen. Car crashes are the leading cause of death for teens in the United States, and nearly one in four fa tal crashes involving teen drivers occur during the after-school hours of 3-7 p.m. Get evidence-based guidance and tips at TeenDriving.AAA.com.

zones or neighborhoods. Always come to a complete stop, checking carefully for children on sidewalks and in crosswalks before proceeding.

• Eliminate distractions. Research shows that taking your eyes o f the road

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Jason

ALIGN RIGHT REALTY RIVERVIEW CELEBRATES THREE YEARS, OVER 100 AGENTS AND NEW OFFICE

great“We’resuccess.not

By Taylor Wells

just in it to sell or buy, we’re in it for a long-term relationship,” Tackus said.

Lisa Tackus, owner and bro ker of Align Right Realty River view, has had a lot to celebrate recently, as not only has her real estate agency been open for three years as of August and gained over 100 licensed agents, but she also now has a new ofce.

Tackus has been a resident of the area for over 20 years. She opened the ofce for full operation in August 2019, and it is the first franchise in the company, accord ing to Tackus. It provides full real estate services, including residential, commer cial, referrals, rentals, home evaluations and first-time homebuyer seminars.

“I’ve been running businesses through out my entire career, the last seven years focusing mostly on real estate.” Tackus said. “Being a native Floridian and under standing the market, I think I have more of a competitive advantage over most.”

Plus, she has both a real estate broker license and a mortgage loan originator license — which gives her a competitive understanding of all facets of the real es tate industry — as well as master’s de grees in business and social work. All of it adds up to Align Right Realty Riverview’s

She got her new ofce, Align Right Realty Suncoast, after purchasing it from Johnny Loewy, founder and CEO of the Align Right Realty company, in May; it began as the com pany’s first ofce. The Suncoast ofce opened in mid-August and has around 100 agents.

The two ofces are seeking real estate agents, as well as talented men tors for their mentor pro gram. With a mission to help agents reach their goals, whether new and seasoned, they’ll have access to all they need to advance their business, such as ongoing support, training, opportunities for 100 percent of their commission, their own websites and much more. There are also many events and activities, including monthly meetings and family nights out, luncheons and foam parties.

Tackus stated, “The culture is a big rea son that drew me to the company.”

If you’re interested in a career at either ofce, call 813-563-5995 and ask for of fice recruiter Patrick.

For more information about the Riv erview ofce, located at 11962 Balm Riverview Rd. in Riverview, visit https:// alignrightriverview.com/ or call 813-5635995. For the Suncoast ofce, located at 17427 Bridge Hill Ct. in Tampa, visit https://alignrightsuncoast.com/ or call 813-512-2100.

Care partners of those with any type of memory loss, whether family, friends or professionals, need to be equipped with the knowledge to best support their loved one.

Gain this knowledge at our NEW hybrid support groups being held via Zoom and in person at Tessera of Brandon.

Hybrid Dementia and Alzheimer’s Support Groups

Fourth Tuesday of Every Month at 6:30 pm Meeting in person and via Zoom!!! Zoom Meeting Number 897 6781 0479 evening

Fourth Wednesday of Every Month at 2:00 pm Meeting in person and via Zoom!!! ZOOM Meeting Number 869 4044 7508

Come a little early for refreshments!

1320 Oakfeld Dr. Brandon, FL 33511 | 813-607-6880

Te Align Right Realty Riverview team.

When Valrico resident Terri Hughes reached out to local nonprof it Rebuilding Together Tampa Bay (RTTB) for financial assistance in repairing her roof and air conditioning unit, the organization did her one better: They built her a new home.

In partnership with Hillsborough County and its Reconstruction and Replacement Program, contractors tore down her decaying wood-frame home, constructed in 1955, to make room for the new structure, a 1,217-squarefoot, concrete-block home featuring two bedrooms and two baths. The new digs, costing $225,000 to build and taking nine months to construct, are fitted with a walk-in shower in the mas ter bedroom, stainless steel appliances and all of the latest energy-saving technologies.

Hughes, who has been living in an apart ment during the home’s construction, was teary-eyed when presented with the keys to her new home.

“It’s an indescribable feeling knowing I will not need to worry about the flooring coming loose or falling through it and the roof no longer caving in on us,” she said.

Hughes had moved into her former home in 1988. A single parent, she worked in the construction industry to support her small family. She now has a grandson, Trace Thom as, whom she has raised since he was born

By Michelle Caceres

in 2003. As her health declined, she was un able to work, making finding the money needed for her home’s repairs more difcult. She frequently vol unteered with RTTB, hoping one day it could help aboutsaiddirectorTampaRebuildingher.TogetherBayexecutiveJoseGarciawhenheheardHughesandsaw

her wood-frame home, he knew she would be a good candidate for the project, which addresses afordable single-family homes while most other projects focus on multiunit homes. Hughes will not have to pay a mort gage. Instead, a lien will be placed on the home for 20 years, after which time the lien will be forgiven. This is done to ensure the home stays in Hughes’ family to provide afordable housing for generations to “Shecome.has trusted us with her most valu able asset,” said Garcia. “No matter how many times we make dreams a reality for area families, it gives me such satisfaction to see the look of happiness on their faces when we finally hand them the keys to their newForhome.”information about Rebuilding Togeth er Tampa Bay, visit www.rttb.org. For infor mation about Hillsborough County’s Aford able Housing Services, call 813-246-3150 or visit www.hillsboroughcounty.org.

WHAT’S HAPPENING AT NORTH BRANDON FAMILY YMCA?

By Libby Hopkins

The North Brandon Fam ily YMCA in Sefner ofers youth programs, swim lessons and new exer cise equipment. It features out standing youth programs innientandsummerteamsteams,gymnasticslikeswimandacampisconveforthosetheMangoand

Te North Brandon Family YMCA in Sefner ofers youth programs, swim lessons and new exercise equipment. It features outstanding youth programs like gymnastics teams, swim teams and summer camp and is convenient for those in the Mango and Dover neighborhoods.

Dover neighborhoods. Members come for the variety of family programs and stay for the sense of com munity. The North Brandon Family YMCA also features child care while you work out, potlucks for seniors and an outdoor condi tioning work out area. “The North Brandon Family YMCA first began in Brandon in the 1980s with community events,” said North Brandon Family YMCA executive director Judy Thorson. “The YMCA building was built in 1989. In the last two years, we have had new updates and renovations. These include a complete face-lift to the upstairs area, featuring a new Youth Zone and an indoor cycling area with new bikes, new furniture throughout including the pool, new cardio machines on the wellness floor, upgrade to changing rooms and much more to come.”

If you ask Thorson, what makes the North Brandon Family YMCA diferent from other Y’s in the area, she’ll tell you it’s what is the most focused thing at her Y. “We truly do support the mind, body and spirit,” Thorson said. “We have programs for every age, as well as gymnastics and dance studio, family

room/reading center, which will provide free computer access to members and ofer a place for them to gather, read and relax.

“We’re continuously working to identify and create ways to connect with our members and the north Brandon community,” Thorson said. “I really enjoying seeing the hard work we do everyday that impacts our members’ lives. It’s also the scholarships we give out, the coaching our volunteers provide or serv ing as a safe place in the community.”

There are some new and fun programs coming to the North Brandon Family YMCA this fall. “We have an adult gymnastics class es and basketball league coming soon, as well as our Teen Leaders Club, which gives teens the opportunity to meet new people, build new relationships, learn valuable skills, get involved in the community, earn volun teer hours and learn what it truly means to be a leader,” Thorson said.

To learn more about the programs ofered at the North Brandon Family YMCA, locateddon-family-ymcawww.tampaymca.org/locations/north-branvisitorcall813-685-5402.Itisat3097S.KingswayRd.inSe fner.

and active old er adult month ly events. We just planted a new newcentlybles.”andtoworkolderyouthportunitieswillgarden,vegetablewhichprovideopforandouradultstotogethergrowfruitsvegetaTheYalsoreopenedacomputer

Valrico resident Terri Hughes was presented the keys to her new home, constructed between a partnership between Hillsbor ough County and Rebuilding Together Tampa Bay.

LOCAL MILITARY BRAT AND COLLEGE STUDENT WRITES BOOK FOR MILITARY TEENS

A local college student and military brat’s desire to help other children of active-duty military personnel cope with constant change as sociated with mili tary life inspired him to write a book.

Valrico resident Shanon Hyde, a ju nior at Penn State University majoring in aerospace engi neering, drew from his own experiences to write Dear Mili tary Teen: ofWinningDeployments,Moving,andtheGameHighSchool , pub lished on July 28.

“This book is dedicated to other mil itary teens and brats like myself and helps provide advice and solutions for problems unique to us,” said Hyde, whose father retired from the Marine Corps two years ago.

One topic he writes about is how to approach the challenges of moving to di f erent cities every few years. During his childhood, he lived in California, Virginia, North Carolina, back to the same base in Virginia, Japan and back to North Carolina. The family moved to Valrico after his father retired.

When his family moved to Virginia the summer before he started seventh grade, he thought the transition would be easy because he had already met

By Michelle Caceres

friends there the first time his fam ily was stationed there. “I incorrect ly assumed that my old friends would want to be friends with me again, so that turned out to be my most di f cult move,” he said.

Before writing the book, Hyde created a podcast titled The Shanon Show: The Best Military Kids Pod cast , where he in terviewed military kids and teens and noticed many over arching issues. The podcast inspired him to write the book, which took almost two years to complete.

“So many military kids limit them selves because they just want to fit in and survive, but that can limit their po tential,” he said.

He encourages military kids to be out going after each move.

The book also o f ers tips for trans ferring credits from school to school. “Schools on military bases are more lenient when it comes to transferring credits than other schools,” he said.

For more information about Hyde, vis it his Apple podcast, The Shanon Show: The Best Military Kids Podcast. To pur chase his book, which costs $13.99, visit www.amazon.com.

JOIN OUTREACH FREE CLINIC AT THE LAUGH OUT LOUD COMEDY FUNDRAISER

Looking for a good night of fun and laughter? Join the Outreach Free Clinic and Resource Center and come dian Mary Ellen DePetrillo this October for the Laugh Out Loud Comedy Show.

The Laugh Out Loud Com edy Show is hosted to fund raise for the Outreach Free Clinic and Resource Center in Brandon. The show takes place on Friday, October 7 from 6-10 p.m. at The Regent in actyear,andlentacomedytoprovidesforbeeightwhichoretsIndividualRiverview.tickcost$75,aVIPtable,includesseats,canpurchased$800.Eachticketaccessdinner,aliveshow,cashbar,siauction,more.ThisthemainwillbeDePetrillo,

By Makenzie Atkins

In order to avoid this, a group of not only nurses and physicians but also pharmacists, social work ers, clergy, attorneys and bankers stepped up in 1987 to help those in the Brandon area who were falling through the cracks and needed help.

All funds from the Laugh Out Loud Comedy Show will go directly to patient care at the Outreach Free Clinic and Resource Center and make an immense impact on so many in the community.

“I was referred to Out reach Free Clinic by Hill sborough County Breast and thatedbreastItheatereceivedwhereandsurance,gram.CancerCervicalProIhadnoinnodoctordidnotknowtoturn.Iimmediattentiontoconcernsthathadalumpinmyandneedcare.TurnsoutItestedpositiveforcancer,”saidVC,apatientattheOutreachFreeClinic,“Itwas

the comedian, pro fessional speaker and storyteller who will have you rolling on the floor laughing.

The Outreach Free Clinic and Resource Center provides a way for uninsured in dividuals to gain access to quality health care. Many individuals who cannot aford health care are living with life-threaten ing health issues and are leaning on the emergency room as primary care, or in stead not seeking medical help at all.

the caring and wonderful staf at the Out reach Clinic that put me on the path to the care and treatment that I need for my breast cancer. God bless all.”

Today, those involved at the Outreach Free Clinic and Resource Center continue to work tirelessly and use the LOL Com edy Show as a way to not only fundraise for the organization but also to spend time laughing and connecting with others in the community.

Valrico resident and college student Shanon Hyde wrote a book for military kids that can be purchased on Amazon.

Mary Ellen DePetrillo is a comedian with real-life stories that are relatable and hilarious.

A local nonprofit orga nization is helping break the cycle of poverty by unleashing the intelligence and positive energy of low-income, out-of-school young adults to rebuild their communities and their lives. YouthBuild at Tampa Housing Author ity helps participants build the skill sets and mindsets that lead to lifelong learning, livelihood and leadership.

Typically identified as ‘marginalized,’ ‘dis connected’ and ‘at-risk,’ these young people, who are typically defined by their challenges and not their potential, are ofered the knowl edge, training and opportunity that leads to long-term professional and personal success.

The international program started in Tam pa in partnership with Tampa Housing Au thority in 2009 thanks to initial startup fund ing through a grant. John Arroyo was hired as its program manager, and he is still in that role 13 years later.

“It’s so fulfilling to help people who’ve had obstacles in their path, like having to finan cially support their family at a young age or those who got in trouble with the law, find success,” he said. “We meet them where they’re at and take them where they want to go.”Participants pursue their education by taking classes to earn a GED or high school diploma, prepare for future careers through vocational training and grow into community leaders, building brighter futures for them selves and their neighborhoods.

The program uses construction as the core and provides hands-on training in diferent

By Michelle Caceres

aspects of the industry.

Participants earn up to $250 every two weeks plus incentives for reach ingArroyogoals. said YouthBuild has been a success. He es timates that approximate ly 250 young adults have benefited from the pro gram since its inception.

One participant living in Riverview wanted to become a welder, so YouthBuild paid for his education at Erwin Technical College. Anoth er participant always wanted to work in child care, so it helped her get licensed and now she’s working at a day care center.

Arroyo said it’s particularly rewarding when participants who successfully com plete the program come back to volunteer as mentors.“Theyget on their feet and then give back in some way to help others,” he said.

The next program class, which can accom modate between 60-70 participants began on Tuesday, September 6. To qualify for the program, applicants must be between the ages of 16 and 24, have a strong desire to fur ther their career and/or education, be com mitted to working hard and have a desire to earn a GED or high school diploma.

Volunteer opportunities are needed to support the program through donations of money and time. Mentors are also needed, especially tutors to work with program par ticipants in math and reading. “Tutors can be high-school age students,” said Arroyo. “We are grateful for peer-to-peer mentoring.”

For more information, call 813-391-2841 or visit www.thafl.com/youthbuild.

ELVIS IMPERSONATOR

BILLY LINDSEY PERFORMS MUSIC AND COMEDY

Billy ‘Elvis’ Lindsey grew up in a house filled with music. From a young age, he remem bers putting on shows, playing 10 diferent in struments and listening to Elvis Presley.

“I just love music. My dad was such a huge El vis fan,” explained Lind sey, adding, “In 1974, I got to see him at Notre Dame. It was my first concert ever. It was amazing.”Heand a few of his friends started a com edy group called The Flash Band, where they performed skits at Hap py Days on State Road 60 in Brandon, many of which included Presley’s character.“That’s when I real ized how many Elvis songs I knew from my childhood,” said the Elvis impersonator. “I just knew so many Elvis songs that the Elvis show just became part of my Whenact.”being in The Flash Band no longer worked with his schedule, Lindsey began performing on his own. He won an Elvis im personator contest four times at the state fair and was even used as the face of the competition for its marketing one year. Lindsey’s talents extend past his award-winning Elvis impersonation, howev er. He also performs oldies, rock, country and

By Lily Belcher

pop music, from Alan Jackson to The Beatles to Ricky Martin. He per forms across Flor ida and takes his show on the road as he travels out of state when he visits his own family.

In addition to being a full-time performer, the Viet nam War veteran started his Keep the Fire Burning nonprofit last year to give back to the community. He has performed at char ity fundraisers and for Children’s Mira cle Network in the past, but his non profit allows him to further his contri bution to others.

Now, Lindsey will perform on the MSCaward-winningMeraviglia

with stops at Ocean Cay, Nassau, Cozumel and Belize City. Lindsey’s 2023 seven-night cruise will set sail from Port Canaveral on February 5, 2023. There is a $250 deposit per person, due as soon as possible after booking a cabin. There is limited availability, so those interested are encouraged to fill out the flyer on his website now.

For more information on Lindsey, visit his website at billyelvislindsey.com or, for book ing information, call 813-786-9110.

Billy ‘Elvis’ Lindsey will perform on a cruise in February 2023.

HOT AIR BALLOON FESTIVAL

COMING TO PLANT CITY Staf Report

The Plant City

orfulgiantthePlantGroundsberrytoOctoberSaturday,berday,comingFestivalBalloonisFriOcto21and22theStrawFestivalinCity.Comeseeuniqueandcolhotairballoons

up close and enjoy a family day out.

This family event will also feature much more than the hot air balloons. There will be vendor markets with a variety of items for sale and assorted food vendors. The balloon festival will also feature DJs and live music, a kids’ zone, magicians, jugglers, roaming entertainers and many other great festival experiences.

Not only can you see incredible hot air balloons, but you can also check that bucket list item by getting a ride on a tethered hot air balloon. Tethered rides will be $25 per person, weather permit ting.There will also be a night glow and la ser show twice each evening at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. that will begin with a crowd countdown to light the balloons. The show incorporates synchronized music, pyrotechnics and visually stunning co ordinated burns by the hot air balloons and high-powered lasers creating a night glow like you have never seen.

Bring your blankets and chairs to set

up your own view ing spot. Coolers or outside food and drink will not

whentakeinflation5willThepermitted.begatesopenatp.m.Balloonwillplacewinds

are low enough to be safe and will be announced. If the balloons cannot set up due to rain or high winds, there will still be a laser show and ring of fire display around 9 p.m. There will be announce ments and updates via the PA system by theTicketsstage. include free parking, festival entry and the balloon show with live music. The kids’ zone, food vendors and tethered rides are additional. In the event of inclement weather preventing balloon inflation, your tickets may be good for another day or another show.

Pets other than service dogs are not recommended as the ‘burner’ noise from the hot air balloons is loud and often dis turbing to Advancedogs.tickets are $22 for adults and $10 for kids 17 and under, with kids 5 and under being free. Tickets will be available at the gate at an increased price of $30 for adults and $15 for kids.

Visit www.balloonshows.com for up dates, tickets and any weather-related advisories.

LITERATURE MATTERS FESTIVAL SET TO TAKE PLACE AT FIREHOUSE CULTURAL CENTER

On Saturday, Oc tober 1, children of all ages are invited to attend a festival known as Literature Matters. The festival will be held from 2-4 p.m. at the Firehouse Cultural Center, lo cated at 101 1st Ave. NE in Ruskin. The Literature Matters festival is free and open to the

author,award-winningtimeanJ.tersLiteraturepublic.MatwasfoundedbyDesireeRodriguez,Afro-Latina,four-self-published,professor,former

Te Literature Matters festival, set for Sat urday, October 1 at the Firehouse Cultural Center in Ruskin, will highlight local and out of town self-published children book authors all of whom want to engage and support children to read.

Mrs. All-Star Southeast 2021, wife, mother, doctoral scholar and community enthusiast. Rodri guez has over 10 years of strategic com munication and community outreach ex perience. She became a business owner at the age of 23 with a goal to impact youth through literacy and mentorship.

Literature Matters provides the commu nity with an opportunity to connect with national authors, guest speakers, storytell ing and Rodriguezmusic.said, “I grew up a child of Dominican and African American descent. I did not understand my history or con nect to my culture. My mother cooked sancocho, rice and beans. However, I did not know why my mother spoke Spanish, and why we travelled to another country to see our family. I could not connect to

By Kathy L. Collins

my culture and un derstand where I came from.” Rodri guez added, “There are children who do not understand their culture, just as I did not.”According to Ro driguez, “Literature Matters gagementskeynotebooksupporteddiversemunitiestiesbooksunderrepresentedprovidestocommuniinneed.Comthatlackbookswillbethroughdistributions,speakingenandcom

munityRodriguezevents.”added, “More often than not, Latinx, Hispanic, African American and Asian American literature is not incor porated in K-12 required literature. Let’s work together and change the narrative. As Americans, we embody cultures from around the world. It is about time our chil dren read about them.”

Authors who are confirmed include Ro driguez, Casilya Smith, Devin Paladino, An nette Eberhart, Leroy Toliver and Tyrone Void. The confirmed keynote speakers are Casilya Smith and Devin Paladino.

Literature Matters is an afliate pro gram of J. Desiree LLC, which is designed for literacy outreach. The Literature Mat ters festival is about 2 years old.

If you have questions, contact Rodri guez at jdesireerllc@gmail.com.

Sunny Boy is a popular, uniquely shaped hot air balloon expected at the festival.

Annual Nut Sale Returns Francis Circle of Nativity Catho lic Church’s Nativity Women’s Guild is pleased to announce that 2022 will be the 41st year that it will provide the community with the opportunity to purchase nuts. Just in time for the hol idays, the circle will sell the nuts in 1 lb. bags. These high-quality nuts will include shelled pecan halves and pieces, shelled walnut halves and pieces, salted cashews and a variety of candied pecans. All nut orders must be placed by Monday, Octo ber 17 and will be shipped to arrive by Sunday, November 20. Proceeds from the nut sale benefit the Nativity Food Warehouse, which provides free grocer ies to the needy of 50-plus parishes in the Brandon area. To purchase nuts or for more information, call Evelyn at 813657-4309, Flo at 813-695-7096 or 813431-0041.

Pelican Players Presents Nana’s Naughty Knickers

Pelican Players Community The ater will be presenting Nana’s Naughty Knickers from Thursday through Sun day, October 20-23. It is a wonderfully light-hearted play about a lively grand mother with a creative way of keeping her life interesting, entertaining and laugh-out-loud funny from beginning to end. “Audiences may assume they know what’s coming by the play’s title, but, as in any good comedy, there are hysterical and comedic twists and turns around every corner,” said Bruce MacDonald, di rector of the show. Tickets are available from the Kings Point Box Ofce from 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Monday through Friday. All

performances are at the Kings Point Vet erans Theater in the North Clubhouse, lo cated at 1900 Club house Drive in Sun City Center. Addition al information can be found on its website at ersscc.org.www.pelicanplay

Plant City Com munity ConcertAnnouncesChoraleFall

The Plant City Community Chorale is excited to announce its fall concert, Wa tersong. The concert will be presented on Saturday, October 8 at 7:30 p.m. at Eastside Baptist Church, located at 1318 E. Calhoun St. in Plant City. The chorale, under the direction of artistic direc tor Coleman Flentge, will present this flowing musical ofering of varied music styles, genres and languages. Tickets are available at www.pccchorale.org, by call ing 813-965-7213 or at the Walden Lake Car Wash. They will also be available at the door the night of the concert.

Grace Community Church Fall Market

Grace Community Church, located at 5708 Lithia Pinecrest Rd. in Lithia, will be holding its fall market on Saturday, November 5 from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. There will be a wide variety of vendors with something for everyone, so go and get an early start on your hol iday gift shopping. If you are interested in being a vendor at the event, please visit its website at www.gracecommuni tymarket.com for more information.

have them shredded.

The event will take place on Saturday, October 22 from 9 a.m.-12 Noon at Fo cus Wealth Strate gies, located at 3419 Brook Crossing Dr. in Brandon. It will also be collecting un wanted electronics (except televisions) and nonperishable food to benefit Hope for Her, a local or ganization where women experiencing crisis and trauma find the strength, skills and support they need to rebuild their best lives.

Strawberry Ridge Ceramic Sale

The Berry Clay Pit in the Strawberry Ridge Community is holding its annu al ceramic sale on Saturday, October 8 from 10 a.m.- 2 p.m. A wide range of ceramic pieces, including indoor and outdoor pieces will be available to pur chase. It is a great opportunity to find that unique piece of art for yourself or a gift for a friend. The Berry Clay Pit is located at 509 Strawberry Ridge Blvd. in Valrico.

Jewish Holiday Services

During September into October, there are a number of Jewish hol idays. This is a time when most Jewish people want to attend the holiday services. High Holy Day services at Congregation Beth Shalom of Bran don are open to the community and are free, though donations are gladly accept ed. Rabbi Lefkowitz and Sandy Santuc ci (cantorial soloist) will be leading the Selichot and High Holy services. Contact the temple ofce on 813-681-6547 or email cbs-brandon@outlook.com if you have any questions and for the schedule of ser vices.

Howl-O-Ween Pet Costume Contest

The annual HowlO-Ween Pet Costume Contest will take place

on Saturday, October 8 from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Mary & Martha House Home Goods Market, located at 312 U.S. 41 S. in Ruskin. All pets are welcome. The parade and judging will take place at 12 Noon with trophies and prizes for best overall costume, most creative costume and best pet and human costumes. You can register on-site at the Kittie Corral booth starting at 11 a.m. or preregister online at www.jens-market.com. All pro ceeds from the event go to Kittie Corral, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

FishHawk Ranch Annual Car Show Returns In October

FishHawk Ranch will be holding its annual car show on Saturday, October 8 from 12 Noon-3 p.m. at The Palmetto Club located at 17004 Dorman Rd. in Lithia. Along with the car show, there will be food trucks, DJ Joe Ferrante, a rafe with proceeds going to Paralyzed Veterans of America and the opportunity to give blood. This fun event is suitable for all ages and free to attend. Space to enter the car show is limited; if you want to preregister your vehicle, go to www. fhrcarshow2022.eventbrite.com. For ad ditional information on the event, email sparvin@fishhawkranchcdd.org or call 813-657-6629.

Academy Of Dance Dynamics Car Wash Fundraiser

The Academy of Dance Dynamics had its 12th annual car wash fundraiser at the River Hills Shell Garage and had a blast. The day was filled with lots of sign spinning, dancing and car washing. Renee Melanson, owner of Academy of Dance Dynamics, said, “I come from a big family and had to hand my parents my dance bill knowing we didn’t have it. I do this fundraiser to try and take some of the financial weight of of the parents and it’s always a great event.” Academy of Dance Dynamics is located at 4383 Lynx Paw Trl. In Valrico in the River Hills Plaza. For more information, visit its website at www.academyofdance dynamics.com or call 813-655-8277. It would also like to thank Todd Kane, own er of the Shell Garage, for allowing them to use his location and for all of his sup port over the years.

Shred Event Helps You And Hope For Her Help protect yourself from identity theft by bringing all your old tax returns, bank statements, bills, credit card applica tions and any other iden tifiable documents to Fo cus Wealth Strategies to

The Pass-A-Book Program has been serving the commu nity of young readers since Ruskin’s Heather Hindman launched the initiative to collect and donate books in 2016. Through community donations of children’s books, Hindman has been able to distribute over 4,500 books to schools, teachers and students in just eight years.“As a former teach er, I had bins and bins of books in my garage. I loved them so much that I hated to part with them but finally decided they would be put to better use in the hands of children to love them,” said Hindman, who also attributes the program to her husband, who wanted the extra space in the Aftergarage.seeing the amount of community interest, Hindman turned the donation into a program that became an ongoing Bryan Hindman Electric Company service project. Since its inception, the Pass-A-Book Pro gram has become a family, business and community efort as Hindman has watched her whole company get involved. She works with her immediate family to distribute books but received help from her co-workers, Brandy Nelson, Christine Han non, and community project coordinator Virginia Trotta.

Many of their elec tricians have helped carry and load heavy donation boxes, and her children help transport books to the donation sites as well.

“One amazing com munity member decid ed to set up a makeshift library for the children living in her apartment building and we were proud to be a part of that,” explained Hind man. “Our biggest event is the [Parents and Chil dren Advance Togeth er] yearly graduation, where the children and their siblings choose books to take home to read over the summer.”

The Pass-A-Book Pro gram mostly donates K-2 picture books and chapter books for third through fifth graders, but it accepts all books for students. This year, it is specifically looking for more board books to give away.

While many of the donations come from families and thrift stores, the Pass-A-Book Program just received a huge donation of around 250 books from Collins Elementa ry School. These books were given to new teachers in Hillsborough County.

To donate books to the Pass-A-Book Pro gram now, bring the picture/chapter books to 1517 U.S. Hwy. 41 S. in Ruskin. Later this year, the drop-of site will change to 10021 Carr Rd. in Riverview. Lily Belcher

CREATIVE COLORS INTERNATIONAL OF TAMPA CAN FIX THAT

There isn’t much that Cre ative Colors In ternational of Tampa can’t fix. It is a local ex pert in leather repair.Creative Col ors Interna tional Inc. was founded in July 1991 through its afliate J&J’s Creative Colors Inc., a company that had been in busi ness since 1980. Much like J&J’s Creative Colors, it provides the services of restoring, dyeing and repairing many types of material. “I’ve owned a Creative Colors franchise since August 2016,” said owner Patrick German. “My territory then was Pinellas County. Two years later, the owner in Hill sborough sold to me. I have lived in Bran don for 16 years, but when I started my franchise, that other owner was in this area, so I had to buy into Pinellas.”

Creative Colors International Inc. was founded in July 1991 through its afliate J&J’s Creative Colors Inc., a company that had been in business since 1980. Much like J&J’s Creative Colors, it provides the services of restor ing, dyeing and repairing many types of material.

By Libby Hopkins

man said. “It also needed to be something my son-in-law, who started the business with me, was interest ed in. The plan is to build it into a business he can take over and re tire from himself one day. Which means it needed to be something that can’t be Amazoned, outsourced or done remotely.”

Since Creative Colors International has been in existence for more than 40 years, German felt this company was the best fit for him to invest. “As a national franchise, we have the support of a large organization that continually researches and updates prod ucts,” German said. “It also sets a level of standards through that franchise system.”

Before becoming the owner of Creative Colors International, German had a career in financial business. “I took an early re tirement from JPM Chase after 18 years there,” German said. “My career there, along with five years prior, was all in in formation technology, mostly software development.”WhenGerman decided to leave Chase, he wanted to do something completely diferent. “Something with a lot of time outdoors working with your hands,” Ger

Another reason German decided to invest in Creative Colors International is because there is no brick and mortar building he had to purchase. “We don’t have a shop, the business is 100 per cent mobile,” German said. This gives him the opportunity to connect and get to know his customers on a personal level.Ifyou

would like to learn more about Creative Colors International and the various services it offers, you can vis it their website at www.wecanfixthat. com or call German at 813-343-4151.

ADVENTHEALTH’S

COMPASSIONATE & COLLABORATIVE BREAST CARE PROGRAM

ship-trained breast surgeons at Ad ventHealth Tampa. “From there, ra diology, oncology and surgery work in lockstep to ensure patients get care they can be confident in at ev ery

Fromstep.”prevention and early de tection to treatment, recovery, sur vivorship programs and more, Ad ventHealth’s breast care program is

It’s easier to care for yourself when you know you have a place to go and people to turn to for compassionate care. You’ll find that at AdventHealth Tampa’s collabora tive breast care program.

Combining the expertise of the Kay Meyer Breast Care Center, the Advent Health Tampa Wom en’s Pavilion and the AdventHealth Tampa Don Lau Family Cen ter for Cancer Care, this healthapproachmultidisciplinarytobreastprovidesthemost comprehensive breast care possible to help patients heal in body, mind and spirit.

AdventHealth’s streamlined patient experience begins with the imaging and diagnostic services ofered at the Kay Meyer Breast Care Center, an American College of Radiology accredited Breast Imaging Center of Excellence and one of America’s Best Mammogram Imaging Centers, according to the Women’s Choice Award® — a trusted referral source for the best in health care.

“Our mammogram technology makes it possible to identify lumps and tumors in their earliest stages of development,” said John Cox, M.D., one of the fellow

patient-centered and communi ty-focused. This means patients benefit from the same technology available at research hospitals, de livered with personalized care and atten tion.Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths for American women, but early detection can quickly get you the lifesaving treatment you need.

AdventHealth’s unique approach helps patients move into treatment quickly and confidently.Youcantake the first step toward tak ing charge of your breast health by sched uling your yearly screening mammogram at the Kay Meyer Breast Care Center. It’s one simple thing you can do to take charge of your breast health. To make an appoint ment today, call 813-615-7120 or visit www.scheduleyourmammo.com.

Veteran-owned Martin Security Services Protects Your Home

Martin Security Services is a veter an-owned and operated small business based in Ruskin. It specializes in stateof-the-art home and business security products, cameras, video recording, smart devices and monthly monitoring. Martin Security Services ofers full de sign services to create custom systems, and its highly experienced security ex perts will help you design and build the solutions you need to protect yourself and your business. It can also install re tail kits and teach clients how to use them. Additional information can be found on its website at www.martinsecurityservices.com or by calling 813-352-6398. There is a 10 percent military and first responder discount.

Open Door Grant Program At Hillsbor ough Community College

The Hillsborough Community College (HCC) Institute for Corporate and Continu ing Education (ICCE) was awarded over $993,000 in funding through the Open Door Grant Program by the Florida Department of Education (FDOE) last fall. FDOE recently up dated the Open Door Grant Program criteria to increase funding access. Qualified appli cants may be eligible for up to $3,000 to cov er the costs of tuition fees,

formaterialsbooksinations,examandapproved

short-term and technical ed ucation credentialing courses that must be

completed by September 2023. For the full list of approved courses, schol arship criteria and how to apply, visit training.com/open-door.www.tampa

Te Fab Four: Te Ultimate Tribute Coming To Lakeland

The Emmy Award-winning Fab Four is el evated far above every other Beatles tribute band due to their precise attention to detail.

With uncanny, note-for-note live renditions of Beatles classics, they will transport you back in time to the high point of the British Invasion and beyond. Tickets for the January 24, 2023 event at the RP Funding Center, located at 701 W. Lime St. in Lakeland, went on sale on August 19. They are available at the box ofce, by calling 863-834-8111 or online at www.rpfundingcenter.com.

Lithia Resident Appointed To Early Learning Coalition Board

Melissa Raburn of Lithia was recently appointed by Florida Gov ernor Ron DeSantis to the board of the Early Learning Coalition of Hillsborough County. She is a real estate associate with Fischbach Land Company of Brandon.

Previously an agriculture teach er for the School District of Hills borough County, she cur rently serves as a member of the National Association of Realtors, the Realtors Land Institute and the Flor ida Farm Bureau Federation. Raburn earned her bache lor’s degree in agricultural education and communication from the University of Florida.

“I am honored and excited to ad vocate for the children and families of our county — to help ensure that their needs are met and that we continue to ofer premier educational services to our youngest learn ers,” she said.

Raburn will support youngestthesuringmissionorganization’stheofenthatallcommunity’schil

dren grow up to achieve anything they can imagine by providing the best possible early learning experiences and supporting the fam ilies and teachers who care for them.

Reed Fischbach Named 2022 Agriculturalist Of Te Year

Reed Fischbach was among several award ed agriculture recognition at the annual Sa lute to Agriculture luncheon held at the Char lie Grimes Family Agricultural Center in Plant City. Fischbach received the award for the 2022 Agriculturalist of the Year.

“This award is special to me because it is part of our mission to support property owners in finding solutions. I am honored to receive this award from the Greater Plant City

catedFischbach.community,”ChambersaidHehasdedihise forts to supporting the 2008.estatebeginningcommunityagriculturalsincehisrealbusinessinAsareal

estate land broker, he has always been close to the land and has developed a deep knowl edge and respect for agricultural producers. He guides clients thoughtfully through their land decisions in the context of the current land market. Over the years, he has come to know the area’s landowners of farms, horse communities, agriculture and commercial. Reed has earned a reputation for integrity and a work ethic that focuses on solutions that cater to clients’ specific needs.

“Each year, we celebrate the farmers and ranchers who support our #PlantCity com munity,” said Wesley Joiner, Agri-business Committee chair of the Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce.

Melissa Raburn, real estate associate with Fischbach Land Company, was appointed by Governor Ron DeSantis to the board of the Early Learning Coalition of County.Hillsborough

Richard Martin, owner of Mar tin Security Systems.

TAMPA BAY COFFEE AND ART FESTIVAL RETURNS

Daily high tem peratures begin ning to slip out of the mid-90s means the local fall festival season is just about here, and among the events celebrating the region’s tastes and cultures is the Tampa Bay Co f ee & Art Festival in Brandon.Thefestival bills itself as “The first craft co f ee festi val of its kind in the South East,” according to its website, and was first held in 2015.

It had become an annual event un til 2020, when the COVID-19 ordinator2021,alsoevents.stagingtemporarilypandemichaltedlargepublicTherewasnofestivalinbuteventcoRyanKole

said it is time to get out in the autumn air and enjoy a nice cup of co f ee while considering the works of emerging artists.

“The Tampa Bay Co f ee & Art Festival is designed and tailored to help intro duce people to the wonderful co f ee and art communities found throughout Flor ida,” he wrote in an email. “Our desire is for attendees to walk away from the festival feeling informed, inspired and

By Brad Stager

empowered to continue pursuing their own craft andKoleart.”adds that the festival has grown be cause of public interest and reflects the appre ciation that people have for art and co f ee.

“2015 was the first year we held the Tam pa Bay Co f ee & Art Festival. We originally wanted to have a small, fun get-together to en joy some co f ee from a local roaster and have a couple artists come out. After we posted about the event on Facebook, we had such a large, positive response that we knew we needed to con tinue improving and building theAdmissionevent.” to the festival allows visitors to sample co f ee from regional roast ers and browse the works of local artists, craft creators and vendors.

The Tampa Bay Co f ee & Art Festival will be open from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. on Satur day, October 8 at 1310 John Moore Rd. in Brandon, just south of East Lumsden Road.Tickets are $10 for general admission and $15 for a VIP ticket. They can be purchased online at internationalalsofeeandartfestival.com,www.tampabaycofwhereyoucanviewagalleryofworksbylocalandartists.

ARTINI IS AN ART EXPERIENCE LIKE NO OTHER AT JOIA MARTINI BAR

Artist Wayne Shaw is inviting anyone interested in creating art to participate in Art ini, an event set to take place on the last Sunday of every month from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Joia Fabulous Pizza & Martini Bar, located at 10475 Gibsonton Dr. in

MartiniFabulouswallterini“Myonly.foriswelcomepizza.twopaintingthisticipateTheRiverview.costtoparis$79,andincludesallsupplies,martinisandWalk-insareiftherespace.Paymentwalk-insiscashShawexplained,visionforArtcametolifeafcompletingthemuralinJoia’sPizza&Bar.”Shaw

added, “The idea is to make an easy, safe place to have drinks and do something creative without the cleanup. Creating art while drinking martinis and eating gourmet pizza, all for one price, was something I wanted everyone to enjoy.”

Shaw created the mural at Joia Fabulous Pizza & Martini Bar in 2020. “The mural is four pictures from Italy out together. I did it in the summer of 2020 and it took six days. I did it with my now-18-year-old daughter.”Shawis a counselor in Hillsborough

By Kathy L. Collins

County schools and has been one for 15 years. He has been in ed ucation for 28 years and works with toinnerandplekind.willaaretionButartisticthatcounseling.master’sucationdegreewithofthegraduatedstudents.first-generationlow-income,ShawfromUniversitySouthFloridaabachelor’sinartedandadegreein“Iamabelievereveryonehasabilities.theirpercepofwhattheypaintingislikefingerprint—itbeoneofaIwantpeotohavefunembracetheircreativityreducemental

stress,” Shaw said. “Artini is an opportunity to taste the best martinis and pizza and ex perience the greatest art experience ever,” heArtiniadded.will be an ongoing art experience opportunity. The medium that will be used is acrylic on canvas, but it will change sometimes. For example, participants might paint actual martini glasses. The subject matter will also vary seasonally and will include some mental health strategies. Visit www.paintartini.com to register and pay.

Participants display artwork from the frst class with Wayne Shaw for an art experience like no other. Artini combines the joy of creating art with gourmet pizza and delightful martinis. Artini will take place on the last Sunday of each month at Joia Fabulous Pizza & Martini Bar, located in Riverview.

Photo courtesy of Ryan Pierce. Te cofee will fow on Saturday, October 8 at the Tampa Bay Cofee & Art Festival in Brandon.

LIFETIME NETWORK FEATURES QUEENA’S STORY OF INSPIRATION

Our community knows both the trag ic and heroic stories of Queena Phu. Years later after her tragic story, Phu continues to thrive. “Although Queena has had to stay home for a long time as a precaution during the pandemic, she still did maintain most of her therapy schedule,” said her mother, Vanna Nguy en. “She has been as hard at work as ever. She smiles through most of her home therapy visits and her sessions at Stay in Step Recovery Center.”

Queena Phu’s life story was a recent episode on Lifetime’s #TextMeWhenYouGetHome series. Te documentary aired on August 15 and can be watched on the Lifetime app, Hulu Live on demand and is available for rent on Amazon.

Phu’s life story was a re cent episode on Lifetime’s #TextMeWhenYouGetH ome series. The documen tary aired on August 15 and can be watched on the Lifetime app, Hulu Live on demand and is avail able for rent on Amazon.

“In February, we received a contact from AMS pic tures via our contact form on Queena’s website,” Vanna said. “They had been re searching stories of women who had been the victim of violence so they could tell their story in their own words and found Quee na’s story and blog while doing their re search. We filmed the interviews on March 9, and the show was released August 15 of thisSinceyear.”the attack in 2008, Phu’s cogni

By Libby Hopkins

tive impairments due to her traumatic brain injury have made it harder for Phu to ex press her thoughts in an organized manner.

“For 14 years, she has been expressing her thoughts and feelings through facial expres sions, tone of voice, and body language,” Nguyen said. “She has struggled to modu late self-control and self-awareness, and as a result she can some times react impulsively in social situations. She was always a more re served person, even before the attack, so being in the limelight and having so much personal informa tion shared has been hard forAccordingher.”

to Nguyen, Phu never liked having her life story being in the media over and over again, but this year, Phu has started to learn to be proud of herself. “We hope that this documentary will reach people all around the world, raising awareness about safety and self-defense,” Nguyen said. “We hope that Queena’s story will touch people who have gone through traumatic or very low points in their lives and show them that you can turn your life around if you never giveForup.”more information about Phu, you can visit her website at www.joinqueena.com.

SOUTHEAST REGIONAL INSURANCE COMPANY

SPECIALIZES IN RE-SHOPPING FOR LOWER RATES

Most people buy insurance for the car or house and never look at it again. South east

yearslotupyear,shouldsomethingpingesRichardInsuranceRegionalownerCleriurgthatre-shopinsuranceispeopledoeveryasitcanendsavingthemaofmoney.AftereightofowningCCS

Insurance in Con necticut, Cleri knows through trust, loy alty and determination, this method of re-shopping brings success and keeps customers happy. As an independent in surance company, agents at Southeast Regional Insurance shop diferent carri ers to find their customers the best, most cost-efective insurance for their needs.

“We pay our employees to annually find better deals for our customers, essential ly lowering the amount of premium they pay and ultimately making us less mon ey,” said Cleri. “Most agents just don’t operate in long-term thinking like that.”

While their ofce is across town, Cleri and Karren Nash, his fiance and general manager of Southeast Regional Insur ance, are FishHawk residents and can be seen out in the community networking at the Valrico Fishhawk Chamber of Com merce and the local BNI chapter.

After a few years of investing in real estate in the area, Cleri decided to make it a permanent home earlier this year when he opened Southeast Regional In surance. “We absolutely fell in love with

By Sharon Still

the area; we are excited to become residents and are exploring every nook and cranny,” heSoutheastsaid. Re gional Insurance can provide insur ance anywhere in the state of Flori da. Cleri explained that nearly 100 percent of busi ness is done over the phone, and his

face-to-face meetings are usually at a lo cal cofee shop.

His agency in Connecticut, CCS Insur ance, is much larger than the average insurance agency, according to Cleri. “I brought the same business model down here,” he commented. “Our annual re-shopping is what sets us apart from almost“Mosteveryone.”insurance agencies will not reshop for the customers annually unless their renewal increases by a certain per centage,” he said, adding that this model of re-shopping works extremely well in Connecticut. “Our customers love it.”

When questioned about the property insurance crisis, Cleri said that his com pany works tirelessly to find new home owners’ insurance for those that have been displaced, often at better prices. “It’s not easy, but we will be here to fight it out with our customers,” he added.

Southeast Regional Insurance is locat ed at 4230 S. MacDill Ave., Ste. E223. Hours are 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Visit www. southeastregionalinsurance.com or call 813-699-5446 for more information.

Not to be combined with any other ofer. Only valid at Riverview, FL - Boyette location.

Not to be combined with any other ofer.

Only valid at Riverview, FL - Boyette location.

Richard Cleri and Karren Nash, owners of South east Regional Insurance.

THE FLORIDA ORCHESTRA’S NEW ASSISTANT CONDUCTOR DEBUTS AT FREE POPS IN THE PARK IN SEPTEMBER Staf Report

New waterfronttoly-friendlywillcertTFO’sPark.concertPopstra’sFloridaherGalloconductorassistantChelseawillmakedebutatTheOrches(TFO)freeintheParkatVinoyThisyear,largestconoftheyearbringfamimusicSt.Petersburg’sinSeptember

Chelsea Gallo, new assistant conductor, will make her debut at Te Florida Orchestra’s Pops in the Park concert at Vinoy Park, located at 701 Bayshore Dr. NE in St. Petersburg.

to celebrate the opening of the 55th season with the com munity.Theconcert will be on Saturday, Sep tember 24 at 7:30 p.m. and feature film scores, Broadway hits and light classical favorites, conducted by Gallo. The nearly 30-year tradition annually packs the park with about 15,000 patrons, who spread out elaborate picnics with candelabras for free music under the stars.

TFO will give an encore performance on Sunday, October 2 at 7:30 p.m. at River Tower Park in Tampa. The spring Pops in the Park concert will be on Mother’s Day, May 14, at 7:45 p.m. at Julian B. Lane Riv erfront Park in Tampa. All park concerts will have food trucks from Gulf to Bay Food Truck Association. In a long-stand ing tradition, TFO will collect nonperish able goods for Tampa Bay Harvest’s annu al food drive at all park concerts.

This fall is Gallo’s first season with the orchestra. She will lead TFO’s youth and community concerts, conduct select Raymond James Pops and Morning Cof fee concerts and regularly assist music

director Michael Francis and other

everyonebarrierscertscommunityfreecommunity.cateuniteexistsFloridaconductors.ThenonprofitOrchestratoinspire,andeduasitbuildsTFO’sandlow-costconbreakdowntoensurehasac

cess to the power of live music.

The orchestra announced more commu nity concerts, including the return of Sing Out Tampa Bay. Maestro Francis’ signa ture Inside the Music series helps unlock the secrets to composers and their mas terpieces so audiences can form a deeper connection with the music. Admission to all is pay what you can.

TFO will perform over 100 concerts this season in venues throughout Tampa Bay. Francis launches the season with TFO’s 55th Celebration benefit concert featuring Itzhak Perlman on Saturday, October 1 at the Mahafey Theater. From Friday to Sunday, October 7-9, the Hough Family Foundation Masterworks series debuts with Carl Orf ’s epic Carmina Bu rana, kicking of the classical series that includes Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4, Rachmaninof ’s Piano Concerto No. 2 and much more. The Raymond James Pops se ries has blockbusters such as Harry Pot ter vs Star Wars, Holiday Pops and the Beatles’ iconic Abbey Road album.

For more information and tickets, visit https://floridaorchestra.org/.

HILLSBOROUGH RESIDENTS COMPETE TO REDUCE THEIR WASTE IN INTERNATIONAL ECOCHALLENGE

In the past 30 years, plastic con sumption has in creased by almost 400 percent world wide, prompting in dividuals to devise eco-friendly alter natives to everyday items. This waste is exactly the target of local organization Reduce Your Use Tampa Bay, which, accord ing to Hillsborough County recycling coordinator Daniel Gallagher, serves to moti vate the public to “say no to single-use plastics.” The or ganization not only informs Tampa Bay residents on their ability to lessen their ecological footprint but also recognizes local businesses that commit themselves to producing as little waste as possible.

This July, Reduce Your Use Tampa Bay participated alongside Hillsborough County, Pinellas County, City of Tampa, City of St. Petersburg, Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful and Keep Pinellas Beautiful in the annual international Ecochallenge.

The self-titled Reduce Your Use Tampa Bay team was the largest in the state and competed against dozens of other teams worldwide, aiming to rack up the most points and leave the smallest eco logical footprint possible. This marked the first year Tampa Bay had its own team in the Participatingcompetition.individuals completed various actions suggested on the com

By Nick Edwards

petition website, ranging in di f culty from Level 1 to Level 3. Easier tasks, such as using reusable wa ter bottles instead of their disposable alter natives, were deemed Level 1, while tasks like contacting con gressmen to advocate for change would earn teams the Lev el 3 point value. Some tasks recommended on the team website included becoming more involved in the county’s recycling program, ditching plastic bags and cooking meals without any single-use plastic wrappers.

The Reduce Your Use Tampa Bay team alone diverted the waste from 8,000 single-use plastic items. Top scorers from the team were Tessa Melson in first place, Daniel Gallagher in second, and Ashley Wyland in third. These individuals all earned more than 750 points, which qualified them to receive eco-friendly prize items provided by the Reduce Your Use campaign. The success of these in dividuals and the entire team drives the mission of Reduce Your Use Tampa Bay and allows it to continue to inspire the Hillsborough area to live more sustain ably.For more information on how to re duce your ecological footprint and to get involved with Reduce Your Use Tampa Bay, visit www.reduceyourusetampabay. org.

Te international Ecochallenge took place this past July.

HOW TO CONNECTED DURING WEATHER-RELATEDDISASTERS

By StatePoint Media

network trafc demands and weather impacts.

While the summer season often signifies the start of hurricane season and wildfires, the rise in natural disasters has made pre paredness a yearlong process. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reported 2021 was the third-most active hurricane season on record with 21 named storms. According to CoreLogic, about one in every 10 homes in the United States was impacted to some degree by nat ural disasters in 2021.

Companies like T-Mobile have emergency response teams working tirelessly to ensure they are ready to keep communities, first responders and customers connected when they’re needed most.

T-Mobile works with weather forecast ers, including StormGeo, to accurately track weather events and potential sever ity. T-Mobile’s network switches, data cen ters, points of presence and other critical sites are equipped with thousands of new backup generators, thanks to a multiyear network hardening investment that also added advanced relief and recovery tools in hurricane-prone areas. And its Network Operations Centers provide 24/7 monitor ing so technicians and engineers can watch

When it comes to weath er-related disasters, even with all T-Mobile’s preparations and the network’s increased capacity, power outages and other service interruptions can still occur. The good news is that you can also take steps to ensure you stay connected during weather events:

• If you have a network connection, keep calls to a minimum and as short as possible.

• Send a text instead of making a call. Text messages get through more easily during times of congestion.

• If you have home broadband and power but no mobile service, turn on Wi-Fi calling, which allows T-Mobile, Sprint and Metro by T-Mobile customers with capable devices to text and make and receive voice calls via any capable Wi-Fi connection. If you need to call 911 using Wi-Fi, be sure to give your address to the Thereoperator.areadditional weather monitoring resources available to alert you of upcom ing severe weather. You can receive the lat est storm forecasts from NOAA’s National Weather Service and the National Hurricane Center. You can also download The Weath er Channel TV app on your smart TV or streaming device. To learn more about how T-Mobile prepares for and responds to di saster events, visit T-Mobile’s disaster relief website at www.t-mobile.com.

Taking a few minutes to brush up on best practices during inclement weather will help keep you connected, come what may.

The Sunshine State is home to about 13 transient species of hummingbirds thanks to our year-round tropical climate. Also known as ‘flying jewels,’ these rainbow-colored birds are a delight to observe. Blink and you may miss them; these tiny birds are as fasci nating as they are exotic andWithbeautiful.wings that can beat 50 times per sec ond and thousands of times a minute, hum mingbirds are incredibly tiny, fast-moving birds who get their name from the humming nois es made by their fast-flapping wings. Their wings move so quickly that they are almost invisible to the naked eye. These fast move ments also allow the birds to easily move forward, backward and upside down in an instant while hovering mid-flight.

Most hummingbirds are under 3.5 inch es long and weigh less than a penny. While most species are temporarily visiting as they migrate further south, hummingbirds can be found all over the state. Their average lifes pan is three to five years.

The most common species of humming birds found here is the ruby-throated hum mingbird. The ruby-throated hummingbird is a native and year-round resident due to our warm weather. They are highly adapted to living almost anywhere and can be seen in urban and suburban areas. Their habi tat mainly includes meadows, woodlands, grasslands and Hummingbirdsgardens.areimportant pollinators with a diet consisting mostly of nectar and insects. They love sugar! Nectar is found in

particular tubular plants and flowers, such as firebush, cross vine, coral honeysuckle, butterfly milkweed and Florida flame aza lea.Their uniquely adapted long beak and tongue allow them access to the sweet nectar in targeted plants. It is a myth that their beak acts as a straw; rath er, their tongue is forked for lapping up nectar and con suming up to half of their body weight every day. Hum mingbirds are most attracted to brightly colored, native plants that are red, orange andBecausepink. of their fast and active lifestyle, hummingbirds usually eat continuously throughout the day. In fact, they are so busy eating that they can visit over 100 flowering plants a day.

An easy way to attract hummingbirds to your yard and garden is to hang a special ized hummingbird feeder, which will hold a simple sugar-water mixture. Feeders will need to be safely cleaned very frequently. Be sure to research how to keep the feed er clean and to never use any coloring dyes, honey or brown sugar, which can be toxic to the birds.

Ali Holton is currently director of FishHawk TNR Inc. She has a master’s in biodiversity, wildlife and ecosystems and 20 years of experience specializing in animal behav ior and conservation. To reach her, email fshhawktnr4@gmail.com.

T-Mobile on-site to help with hurricane recovery.

HAVE FUN AT THE ANNUAL FOX SQUIRREL CORN MAZE

This October, come spend a glorious autumn day out in the country in Plant City at the annual Fox Squirrel Corn Maze. This event will take place on Saturdays and Sundays from Sat urday, October 1 through Sunday, October 23 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

This year, the Fox Squirrel Corn Maze will be hosted by James Varn and is going to be held at 6151 Varn Rd. in Plant City. Varn, who has a background in cattle ranching, decided to buy the Fox Squirrel Corn Maze from the Futch family, who had held it for many years at their beautiful Single R Ranch in Plant City.While the Fox Squirrel Corn Maze may have a new owner and a new location, you can still expect to find the country fun we have all come to look forward to each year. According to Lisa Stewart, event coordinator for the Fox Squirrel Corn Maze, “Varn decided to purchase Fox Squirrel Corn Maze from the Futch family to keep what for many families is an annual tradition going.”

Have some old fashioned fun at the annual Fox Squirrel Corn Maze. Te location is new, but the fun, activities and food will be everything that you look forward to all year.

ture many vendors o f ering lots of unique gifts and delightful food. Families can look forward to lots of attractions, in cluding games, hayrides, a butter fly exhibit, pump kin cornThiscorncoursesalepumpkinspainting,forandofthemaze.year,themaze

design is sponsored by Sweet Life Farms.

New food vendors will include Smit ty’s Corn Dogs, The Cheesecake Lady and assorted food trucks.

Stewart said, “You will see a lot of familiar faces and enjoy the same great family experience as previous years, just at a new location.”

Tickets for this year’s Fox Squirrel Corn Maze are $11 plus tax for adults 18 years and older, $10 plus tax for children 3-17 years old and free for children 2 years old and under. Parking is free as well.

The admission booth accepts cash and cards (Mastercard and Visa), but some vendors will accept cash only and there are no ATMs on site.

VISIT MCINTOSH PRESERVE IN PLANT CITY TO TAKE A GUIDED NIGHT HIKE

The city of Plant City will host a guided Night Hike at McIn tosh Preserve on Sat urday, October 8 at 7 p.m. McIntosh Pre serve is located at 775 East Knights Gri f n Rd. in Plant City. The Night Hike is open to all area

50coverser.hasMcIntoshresidents.PreservetrailsandatowThecurrentareaapproximatelyacresofanoverall 363-

acre parcel. A series of im proved hiking trails which total 2 miles, along with a 30-foot observation tower, parking area, trail head, educational signs and benches, have been added to the uplands por tion of the preserve. The main trail to the tower is a little less than three quarters of a mile long. It is all 8 feet wide, so it can easily accommodate families and wheelchairs. The other trails are about 5 feet wide and wind through large oak, pine and cypress areas.

mentally sensitive park land throughout Plant City. He is also charged with helping guide continuing im provements to McIn tosh Preserve. There are plans to enhance wetlands and add additional trails at McIntosh Preserve.

Foster said, “Join Plant City Parks staf for a spooktacular guided Night Hike. You will be led on a easy two mile hike while taking in the views of the night sky. This will be a quiet event as we embrace the sounds of the night and ex perience the solitude of the dark. Flashlights are rec ommended for emergency purposes, but we will be walking in the dark for most of the trip.”

It is recommended that you bring a flashlight, water, bug spray and wear closed-toe shoes.

I have been to McIntosh Preserve sev eral times, including a recent Sunset Hike.

The Fox Squirrel Corn Maze will fea

For information, visit www.foxsquirrel cornmaze.com.

Chris Foster is the environmental land management supervisor for the Plant City Parks and Recreation Department. Foster is responsible for helping the park rangers enhance and preserve environ

It is a delightfully diverse preserve that is perfect for a light hike.

To participate in the Night Hike, regis ter by Thursday, October 6 at citygov.com/parksrec/page/night-hike.www.plant

Come explore McIntosh Preserve, located in Plant City, during an upcoming Night Hike.

The Bloomingdale Bulls look to have a bounce back season after go ing 6-6 the previous year. In 2020, the Bulls boasted their best season in their school’s history, in which they won their first district championship, achieved a team-best 12-1 overall re cord and made the program’s first state semifinal Bloomingdaleappearance.hadtoretool last

season with a school-record 11 play ers signing on National Signing Day the year before. They also had two players, former five-star receiv er Agiye Hall (Texas) and defensive back Philip Riley (Notre Dame), sign during the early signing period of 2020. The team took a step back last season due to turnover and injuries, along with having one of the tough est schedules in Hillsborough County.

Fourth-year head coach Jake Coul son is up to the task of righting the ship and turning the Bulls back into one of the juggernauts of the coun ty. Tampa Bay Tech transfer Charles Coney took over the starting QB job last year after senior starter Sean Dungan sustained an injury before the season started.

The dual-threat Coney played ex tremely well, throwing 11 touch downs for 1,210 yards and carrying the ball 92 times for 356 yard and two rushing touchdowns. Coulson said that Coney had a great offsea son and feels good about his leader ship and progress grasping the of fense after having the reins for the 12 previous games. The coaching staff likes moving him outside of the pocket and his ability to take off and run. The senior has an explosive arm and a lot of weapons at the skill po sitions, as well as a great offensive line to protect him, but his number one job is to take care of the football.

Coulson said that his team’s

strength will be up front on the of fensive and defensive lines. He also said that these senior-heavy lines may be the best that he’s had since he took over in 2019. The team grad uated 18 seniors last year and they have 25 total players returning, sev en offensive starters and three de fensives. He said that the biggest thing his team can improve on is not turning the football over and elimi nating yards after contact on the de fensive end.

Nick Fabrizio was promoted from quarterbacks coach to offensive co ordinator and Sean Council will take over as the special teams coordina tor. Delmar Shorter was hired as the defensive backs coach.

Key players this year include se nior starting center Isaiah Lowery, senior receiver Kendall Jones, Tam pa Catholic transfer, senior receiver Derek Owens, star senior free safety Christian Bodnar, senior outside line backer Mekhi Thomas and defensive tackle Dominic Maye. Kicker Stefan Vera, who was called up from ju nior varsity, has a strong, accurate leg. Senior long snapper/tight end Charlie O’Brien will play a huge role on offense after leading the team in touchdown receptions last year with four.Coulson and the Bulls want to fly under the radar this season. Other coaches and teams around Hillsbor ough County think that Blooming dale’s run is over, which is fine with Coulson because he and his players will use that as motivation to prove them wrong. Bloomingdale has one of the toughest schedules in the coun ty this year, having to face Berkeley Prep, Armwood, Tampa Bay Tech, Newsome, Gaither and Wharton. The Bulls are in a new district that they have a great shot at winning.

The Brandon Eagles have had a tough time building a full roster because of a shortage of players trying out for the team and transfers leaving the school.

Brandon is one of at least six football teams in Hillsborough County to not have a junior varsity program this sea son.In the past, the two-way football team has converted athletes from other sports and has also recruited first-year players that have been at the school but have not played football before to help fill the void.

The Eagles are led by third-year head coach Daryl Stewart. The former line man graduated from Brandon High School in 1995 and wanted to take on the challenge of rebuilding his alma ma ter. He was the defensive coordinator at East Bay for seven seasons prior to tak ing his first head football coaching job in 2020. He also coached at Brandon as an assistant from 2000-06. He thinks that this program has potential and can be successful if they can retain their players and keep them grade eligible.

Brandon is a spread-to-run offense. Junior lineman Ayden Spencer will an chor the offensive and defensive lines. The Eagles are a young and fairly inex perienced team. The players will have to learn on the fly and improve on the offensive and defensive lines.

Stewart thinks that his team’s big gest strengths are their willingness to learn and their ability to play together

and play through adversity. He has said in the past that his players have bought into the message that they might not win a state championship, but they will work hard enough to.

Stewart wants his team to just fo cus on the things that they can control. Wins and losses aren’t something that they solely key in on in terms of the pro cess of getting better. They want to be the best that they can be, reach their potential as quickly as possible and play the best football that they can. This year will be a measuring stick for next season and future seasons to come.

Center Place Fine Arts & Civic Associ ation has been a part of the Brandon com munity for more than 48 years. For most of those 48 years, Center Place has been hosting its annual Christmas Tree Lighting during the first week of De cember. “The annual Christmas Tree Light ing is a free communi ty event,” said Center Place’s executive di rector, Libby Hopkins. “The Christmas tree is lit in the pond behind Center Place, and to many, this symbolizes the beginning of Christmas in our community.”

Since Center Place’s reopening after the recent COVID-19 pandemic, the annual Christmas Tree Lighting has been plagued by vandals. “The last two years, Center Place has had major issues with vandals cutting the wires to the Christmas tree and to the Christmas lights we have decorating our back deck and gazebo,” Hopkins said. “Since Center Place is still recovering from the recent pandemic, like most nonprofits in the area, it was a huge financial hardship for Center Place to pay for the replacement of all the Christmas lights for two Christmas treeHopkinslightings.”and her executive board at Cen ter Place do not want to see this commu nity tradition die, so they are looking to the community to help sponsor their annual Christmas tree Lighting and help keep it

By Libby Hopkins

safe from vandals. “We are currently looking into installing cameras and motion detectors for Center Place,” Hop kins said. “The cost of cameras will be expen sive, so we are hoping that a local business or corporation who may read this story in the paper would be will ing to sponsor Center Place’s annual Christ mas tree Lighting.”

Since becoming the executive director of Center Place in Oc tober 2020, Hopkins has heard many heart warming stories from the community about members of their families getting married at Center Place or attending events at Center Place, like the Christmas tree Lighting. “This community has so many beautiful and happy memories of our beloved Center Place and it would break my heart and the community’s heart to not have our annual Christmas Tree Lighting,” Hopkins said. “I truly hope that someone will read this article and reach out to us at Center Place to help keep our tradi tions alive and well.”

If you would like to help Center Place by sponsoring its annual Christmas Tree Light ing, you can contact Center Place’s Exec utive Director Libby Hopkins via email at libby.hopkins@centerplacebrandon.com or call her at Center Place at 813-685-8888.

Center Place Fine Arts & Civic Association is located at 619 Vonderburg Dr., Ste. B in side the Brandon Regional Library.

RELAX AND REJUVENATE AT VITALITY BOOTH WELLNESS CENTER

Brandon resident Christa Delgado, who was one of Vitality Booth Wellness Cen ter’s first clients and has a silver membership, couldn’t be happier with the bene fits she’s witnessed from her sessions.“Ihave been in the wellness in dustry for 10 years and thought this would be an ex cellent additional health practice to add to my regimen,” she said.

Delgado has had several health issues, including a recent life-threat ening blood clot in her lung. She prefers ho listic treatments to pills.

“With the treatments I have noticed an improvement to my respiratory health,” she said. “I’ve been able to stop taking Zyrtec, which I’ve been on for 20 years.”

Located at 3113 Lithia Pinecrest Rd., the center ofers eight diferent Vitality Booths, each ofering red light therapy, halothera py (salt inhalation), oxygen concentration, negative ion immersion and ionized water intake. Some booths feature advanced car dio equipment, automated massage ther apies or vibration plates. The benefits of treatment include an antiaging natural face lift through collagen generation, improved respiratory health, improved skin health, an immune system boost through ATP creation at a cellular level, weight loss, pain reduction and injury healing, athletic performance en hancement as well as a testosterone boost and hair growth for men.

Vitality Booth Wellness Center general manager Sheila Alba said the benefits of each 20-minute session make it an excellent

By Michelle Caceres

option for everyone, from top-tier athletes seeking to enhance their performance to individuals seeking to im prove their overall health.

“The benefits of this treat ment modality are for every one,” she said.

For John Brier, manag ing partner for HaloTherapy Center (the parent company that holds the patent filings for the Vitality Booth scien tific wellness system), the Valrico wellness center is the flagship location of his brand and vision.

“In the past year, we have sold close to 100 Vitality Booths all over the country and internationally to dozens of spas, clinics, wellness centers, doctors’ ofces and pro fessional sports teams,” he said.

Vitality Booth Wellness Center’s hours are Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m.-7 p.m., and Friday, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Walk-in appointments are accommodated, but appointments are recommended. Single sessions, multisession packages and unlimited monthly member ship plans, including family member upgrade options, are available for purchase.

A grand opening and ribbon-cutting is scheduled for Friday, September 23 from 3-5 p.m. and will include food, prizes and giveaways, such as a free annual member ship. In addition, Osprey Observer readers who visit during the month of September or call to make an appointment and mention this special will receive a free 20-minute Vi tality

Clicksession.onthe QR code to take a virtual tour of its facility.

To book a session, visit https://vbwell nesscenter.com/ or call 813-315-9633.

Vitality Booth Wellness Center treatments ofer a range of health benefts.

PROGRAMS & EVENTS WILL HONOR HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH

By Superintendent Addison Davis

The diverse student body within Hillsbor ough County Public Schools (HCPS) not only makes our dis trict unique, but it also makes us stron ger. With more than 80,000 students identifying as Hispan ic in our community, it is important to cel ebrate during Nation al Hispanic Heritage Month, which begins on Thursday, Septem ber 15 and ends on Saturday, October 15.

While we have a vari ety of special tributes, programs and celebrations throughout our campuses to honor contributions that Hispanics have made to our nation, I want to also share how HCPS celebrates Hispanic culture each and every day.

At the beginning of this academic year, our district hosted an Immigrant Wel come Center at Leto Adult School to pro vide one central location for the influx of Cuban residents expected into Tam pa Bay. District sta f worked diligently on-site to provide assistance with reg istration, physicals and immunizations, as well as o f er resources like food and clothing. We realize standing together to welcome our growing Hispanic com munity is critical to our mission and to studentFamiliesachievement.willagain

benefit from Pasos al Futuro, a series of events aimed at help ing students in grades 8-12 to prepare for high school, college and the work force. The kicko f event will be held at

the University of South Florida, the first time it has ever been hosted on a college campus. These presentations will be entirely in Spanish to educate families on re quirements for college admission, explain how to apply for financial aid and give an over view on the application process. This program is a critical component to connect with families about gramSchoolopportunities.postsecondaryTheNationalParentPartnershipProisanotherchance

for HCPS families to become engaged in their student’s educational journey. We work with Spanish-speaking families to empower them to advocate for their student while building a more e f ective parent-school partnership.

Whether in the classroom, through a learning series or in an arts performance, your child will enjoy a variety of events to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month at their school as we aim to celebrate this unique culture and all it has to o f er. Our sta f will have the opportunity to engage in Hispanic culture learning opportunities with a professional development series.

We must also remember to acknowl edge and celebrate this growing commu nity year-round by continually providing unique opportunities and unwavering support to our Hispanic families, educa tors and sta f . When we commemorate Hispanic culture this month, we cele brate our community’s diversity.

HCC ADDRESSES NURSING SHORTAGE WITH FIRST-EVER BACHELOR’S DEGREE OFFERING

By Linda Chion

noted also that the willstartthecamecarecaseemployers,thetoward“commitmentfurthersaccreditationHCC’smeetingneedsoflocalinthisthehealthindustrywhotouswithrequesttotheBSN.”TheBSNdegreebeo

fered

The first bach elor’s degree ofering in the 54-year history of (BSN)enceBachelorseekingregisteredlinethislegeCommunityHillsboroughCol(HCC)isnewfallwithonclassesfornursestoearnaofSciinnursingdegree.Alsoo

at HCC is an as sociate degree in nursing, which provides an en try-level education in nursing and eli gibility to take the licensing examination for registered nurses. The BSN degree takes it a step further with online studies in eight-week courses covering such top ics as health promotion and risk reduction, ethical and legal issues, leadership and management, evidence-based practice and health care needs of diverse popula tions.Paving the way for the BSN degree, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) in mid-June issued its final ap proval for HCC as a baccalaureate-degree granting institution, which college ofcials say “will forever change the character of the“Theinstitution.”approval represents a transfor mational moment in HCC’s 54-year histo ry,” said HCC President Dr. Ken Atwater. “Years of focused, dedicated efort went towards this successful outcome.” He

f esShore,Cityinsystem,acrosscampuswideeredtheHCCincludingBrandon,PlantandSouthwithcoursprimarilyoutof the Dale Mabry campus, said Deborah Kish Johansen, Brandon campus president.

“It’s quite exciting and a change for us,” said Johansen, noting as well the national nursing shortage. “The mission of commu nity colleges is to help with programming where we can, so it makes sense to help with shortages to help meet the needs of our individual communities.”

By ofering a BSN degree, HCC “can build on a skillset we already have, ex pand our oferings and supplement what our four-year partners provide,” Johansen said, “and it gives pathways to our stu dents to complete their studies to get a BSN and advance their careers.”

For information on admission, costs, courses and accreditation, review RN to BSN online at hccfl.eduing-bachelor-science,ics/subjects/health-and-medical/nurswww.hccfl.edu/academemailhccnursing@orcall813-253-7284.

Te Brandon campus of Hillsborough Community College is at 10451 Nancy Watkins Dr. in Tampa.

PERUVIAN ART DONATION FINDS PERMANENT HOME AT CENTER PLACE

Local, retired pedi atrician and Valrico resident Dr. Fernando Velasquez has had an amazing medical ca reer. He is originally from Peru but moved to the states to prac tice medicine, and he had a thriving prac tice in West Tampa for many years. “I love being a pediatrician,” Dr. Velasquez said. “I liked working closely with my patients and their families to ensure healthy development andDr.growth.”Velasquez took up painting in the ’90s as a way of relaxing. “I am a self-taught paint er,” he said. “I never took a painting class; I was just inspired by my life in Peru, so that’s what I painted, images of my life and the people I knew in Peru.”

Local, retired pediatrician and Valrico resident Dr. Fernando

Velasquez has had an amazing medical career. He is also an avid painter, and his artwork has found a permanent home at Center Place Fine Arts & Civic Association.

By Libby Hopkins

will benefit a specific cause, mainly children or any other nonprofit organization,” Cas tellanos said.

The Osprey Observer reached out to Center Place Fine Arts & Civic Associa tion. “I was very interested in meeting with Dr. Velazquez and seeing his art,” said Cen ter Place’s executive director, Libby Hopkins. “Once I saw how beautiful Dr. Velazquez’s painting were and the amaz ing wooden artwork he had, I wanted it to be a perma nent exhibit at Center Place.”

SPOOKTACULAR AT BUSCH GARDENS IS NOT-SO-SPOOKY FAMILY FUN

A whimsi cal world friendlyedworldInSpooktacular.all-newpaGardens®loweentofunspookyfullenchantmentofofnot-so-familyistheplacecelebrateHalatBuschTamBaywithitsevent,thisplayfulcreatbyKandy,awitchin

Over the years and many trips to Peru, Dr. Velasquez’s ofce became full of his paint ings and artwork he brought back from his country. When he retired, Dr. Velasquez and his wife, Lourdes, realized they didn’t have room for all the paintings and artwork.

A close friend of theirs, Luis Castellanos of Brandon, reached out to the Osprey Observ er to see if the paper knew of any art cen ters that would be willing to take Dr. Velas quez’s art and use it to help raise money for children’s charities or programs. “The idea was to donate them to some charity organi zation for selling or auction, so the proceeds

None of Dr. Velazquez’s paintings are framed, and for them to be hung at Center Place, they will need to be framed. “Dr. Velazquez has over 60 unframed paintings, and since he is a resident of Valrico, I would love for our community to come togeth er and help Center Place get his artwork framed so it will be a permanent exhibit that will be hung in Center Place every July and be Dr. Velasquez’s legacy,” Hopkins said. “Dr. Velasquez and his family asked if his works could be shown every July because July is when Peru gained its independence.”

If you would like to help Center Place get Dr. Velasquez’s artwork framed, so it can be a permanent exhibit at Center Place, please contact Libby Hopkins via email at libby.hopkins@centerplacebrandon.com or call her at Center Place at 813-685-8888. Center Place Fine Arts & Civic Association is located at 619 Vonderburg Dr., Ste. B inside the Brandon Regional Library.

training, guests will find many activities in this immersive Hallow eenBuschexperience.Gardens’ Spooktacular will be casting spells on Saturdays and Sundays from 12 Noon-4 p.m., Saturday, Septem ber 10 through Sunday, October 30 at the Festival Walkway and is included with dai ly Someadmission.ofthe activities for families in this all-new Halloween event, including other not-so-spooky surprises, are:

Kandy’s World: Join Kandy as she shares her journey to become a real witch. Guests will hear firsthand about the stories of this witch-in-training, including how much she loves candy and even how she accidentally turned her friends into toads.

Story Time with Kandy: Situated next to Kandy’s picture-perfect pumpkin patch and bubbling cauldron, guests will be im mersed in the popular story “Room on the Broom,” where everybody has a place and everyoneSpooktacularbelongs.Costume Parade: On this catwalk, all the little ones are top models. A colorful parade of costumes will bring the Spooktacular Costume Parade to life.

forBecausepurchase.Busch Gardens Spooktacular is included with park admission. Guests should take advantage of the current spe cial ofer for the 2023 Fun Card, where paying for one day will allow unlimited vis its for the rest of 2022 and through 2023 for free. For more information on Busch Gardens Spooktacular and to purchase a 2023 Fun Card, guests can visit www.bus

chgardenstampa.com.BuschGardensTampa Bay is the ulti mate family adventure, ofering 300 acres of fascinating attractions based on exotic explorations around the world. Busch Gar dens is a unique blend of thrilling rides, an AZA-accredited zoo with thousands of animals representing more than 200 spe cies and exciting seasonal events all year providing unrivaled experiences for guests of every age. For more information, visit www.buschgardenstampa.com. Busch Gardens is owned by SeaWorld Entertain ment, Inc. (NYSE: SEAS), a leading theme park and entertainment company provid ing experiences that matter and inspiring guests to protect animals and the wild wonders of our world.

willtreatingfun.theandtheirgueststhistrick-or-treatingplacetacularGardensall-newTreating:Trick-or-TheBuschSpookisthetobeforseason.AllcanbringownbagjoininonsupersweetTrick-or-bagsbeavailable

Photo courtesy of Busch Gardens Kandy, a friendly witch in training, at Busch Garden’s Spooktacular.

BY MICHAEL MURPHY

GET THE DIRT: CONTAINER GARDENING

BY LYNN BARBER, FLORIDA FRIENDLY LANDSCAPING™ AGENT

Container gardens are quite popular today and an attrac tive alternative to in-ground plantings. Portability is a key feature for container gardening. Contain ers can be moved to a di f erent loca tion for sun, shade, water, protection from weather and seasonal changes. If you place larger con tainers on wheeled plant stands, it’s even easier to move inside your garage, lanai, front porch or indoors. Containers help you control ir rigation according to the needs of the plants and encour age experimenting where you can try a wide variety of plant materials and con trolled

Selectingclimates.the container itself is an important decision. Porous containers, such as unglazed clay pots, terra cotta and wood, dry out faster than nonporous containers. Nonporous pots, like glazed, plastic and metal, retain moisture better than porous pots, which can be a good or bad thing depending on your water ing habits. Most plants die from over versus under-watering. Make sure there is a drainage hole in the bottom of the pot. If there isn’t one, you can use Sty rofoam packing peanuts in the bottom to elevate the plant roots above the ex cess moisture in the bottom. Using those ‘peanuts’ versus soil will also make the pot lighter and easier to move.

Plastic containers can be less expen sive, lighter and easier to clean than porous pots. Many plastic pots on the market today have been manufactured to look like terra cotta, so they are more attractive than in the past. Metal con tainers, like brass, copper or aluminum, generally provide drainage holes in the bottom so the soil drains properly. Wire baskets are another container alterna tive and require a liner to hold the soil in place. Liners can be Sphagnum moss andThecoco-fiber.nineprinciples the

hold as true for container planting as they do for land scape beds. One of the best aspects of container garden ing is the flexibility it o f ers. You can achieve Right Plant, Right Place, the first and foremost of the nine principles, with a container even when the conditions of your landscape do not match the plant’s needs. For instance, if a plant is acid-lov ing, but your soil pH is alkaline, a con tainer could be an easy solution. Add a soil amendment that acidifies the contain er soil, and you have the right plant in the right

IfplantsLocateplace.sun-lovinginthesun.thesoilismoist,

don’t water. Use slow-release fertilizers that do not leach through the soil after irrigation or rain. After proper identi fication, manage pests responsibly by using environmentally friendly products and spot treat as needed. Select plants that attract wildlife so you can enjoy butterflies, bees and hummingbirds.

Consider grouping several plants with the same requirements together to cre ate attractive combinations. These re quirements include light, water, soil tex ture and pH. Also, consider the mature size so you are not over or under-plant ing. Plants can be combined with an eye for color schemes, contrasting textures and di f erent forms. Be sure to consider proportions when creating plant combi nations. Try to have at least one plant that is as tall as the container. You can group several containers together to create a visual impact.

In Hillsborough County, we o f er Con tainer Gardening Microirrigation work shops. For additional information on container garden designs and plants for visual impacts, go to Ask IFAS and search for Container Gardens. You can reach us at 813-744-5519 or visit us at 5339 County Rd. 579 in Se f ner. Remem ber to reduce, reuse, recycle and repeat.

The summer will be coming to a close and intolerable heat should subside some in the coming weeks. We were blessed this sum mer with some great fishing, both inshore and ofshore. Green backs are plentiful on the flats right now and pinfish have been ev er-present. The waters are still a bit warm, so if you search in the backwaters where the water is warmest, re member to focus more on pinfish for snook and reds. Trout are running a little small on the cockroach flats, but it’s encouraging to see them, as it bodes well to a great popula tion coming soon.

Focus your attention under the mangroves this time of year for redfish. They will begin to school up again and forage together. Cut bait and pinfish will be your best choice for this time of year. You may get surprised with a stud snook in the same areas. A 1/0 circle hook and 25 lb. leader are the better terminal tackle. You will want to get these bruisers out of the bushes.

Mangrove snapper are in right now with good numbers and siz es being caught. Small greenies and threads are great choices for these table delicacies. Cut the larger baits into chunks and use the small baits whole. A #1 circle hook with a 15 lb. leader will work best. They will be in the flats and in the channels and rock piles. Deeper water areas will be easier to fish in before and after the slack tides. They respond well to heavy chumming, and the lighter tides will let the chum stay closer to the boat. Just bury the hook in the bait and let it drift back in theAlwayschum. hold on to a larger shrimp or greenback for a sur prise appearance from the ‘brown clown,’ or cobia. They are not smart fish and will readily approach boats. Keep a rod ready with a 1/0 or 2/0 circle hook. Be aware that the size minimum has changed to 36 in. at the fork.

Enjoy your day on the water and be safe.

Dave Oertel and Anthony Tickles with a snook and refsh combo.

Ryan and Anthony Tickles with their catch.

LOCAL RESPIRATORY THERAPIST GOES ON MISSION TRIP TO PERU

Naomie Bellows, an Ellenton resident and respiratory therapist at St. Joseph’s Hos pital-South in River view, went on a twoweek mission trip in June to provide health care services to an un derserved community in the Peruvian city of Chulucanas.Bellows went on her own time and ex pense as part of Glob al Health Volunteers, a program BayCare participates in that is organized by Trinity Health, a not-for-prof it Catholic health sys tem.Bellows was among 30 volunteers from across the country, including doc tors, who provided services such as wound care, well-care visits, medication dispensing and assessments for surgery. She and a nurse from St. Joseph’s Hos pital in Tampa were the BayCare con tingent on the trip. The volunteers saw about 150 patients daily, ages ranging from infants to 100 years old. Bellows did some breathing treatments, but she was mostly involved with administering labo ratory tests. Bellows, who speaks some Spanish, was assisted by interpreters in her“Allwork.the patients lived in diferent lev els of poverty, but none of them had easy access to doctors,” she said. “Some had never seen a doctor before, and others had seen doctors but not in years. Some knew they had blood pressure or diabetes and knew they needed medication. They

Staf Report

were very grateful for us being there.”

This was her second mission trip through BayCare with Global Health Volunteers, the first being a mission to Haiti in 2018. She’s also done a Habitat for Humanity mission trip to pandemic,Peru.pleandcalprovidetrip:rizedBellowsBotswana.summaher2022Peru“OurgoalwastobasicmedicaretothepoorunderservedpeoofthatregionofBecauseofthemanymis

sion teams had not reached patients in years and many were in desperate need of care or of simple reassurance that everything was OK with them and their loved“Evenones.”though the care we provided was so essential to our patients, I feel that what I received from them was even greater. The people of this area have so little. Many have ailments that cannot be treated by a simple visit, yet they came to us every day with huge smiles on their faces and remained grateful for everything we did. Their resourcefulness and resilience is astounding. I am beyond grateful to our patients that have shared their culture with me and showed me how rich a life can be even with so little.”

And how did Bellows’ family, her hus band and four kids, feel about her leaving them for two weeks in the summer?

“It wasn’t easy for them, but they were very supportive,” Bellows said.

By Nitish S. Rele

nitishrele@gmail.com

After a major transformation in side out last year, the fifth-gen Cadillac Escalade continues mostly as is for 2022.

A 6.2-liter V8 Eco tec engine blasts of 420 horsepower at 5,600 rpm and 460 pounds-feet of torque at 4,100 rpm. The 10-speed auto gearbox is quieter than most that we have driven recently in any luxury SUV. And the startstop feature (automat ic engine stop for when the vehicle halts) en sures substantial sav ings in fuel and weight.

The Dynamic Fuel Man agement system deac tivates four of the eight cylinders for fuel savings. And if you need to haul a sailboat or another car, the tow capacity is an as tonishing 8,000 pounds.

You can identify an Escalade anywhere thanks to its gigantic presence up front with the centered and traditional crest emblem in the Galvano chromed grille, flanked by horizontal HID headlights. The iconic, full-size, luxury SUV genuinely gleams in the cabin department with OLED (organic light-emitting diode) screen tech nology, which basically is light produced in response to an electric current. Three screens: a 14.2-inch instrument display behind the steering wheel, a 7.2-inch touch screen for driver information center to the left and a 16.9-inch infotainment screen in the dashboard; all use OLED and boast twice the clarity of a 4K TV. Audiophiles will love the 36-speaker AKG sound mir acle, which can be heard via the ceiling, headrests and even the center console. Add

the navigation system with augmented real ity to the mix and you are in Otherbusiness.luxuries in

clude tri-zone auto AC, flip-down 12.6inch DVD screens for rear

TECH-LADEN 2022 CADDY ESCALADE IS A POWERHOUSE! $90,595 tested: $106,515

ningpowerconvenienthigh-sittingandeye-catching.grillesstainless-steelaccentauburnerseats,heated/cooledhands-freepanoramicpassengers,sunroof,liftgate,frontsuedeheadlinandattractivedarkwithblackinterior.ThespeakerthroughoutareIngressegressintothevehicleisthankstoretractablerunboards(optional).

The third-row seat folds via a power but ton in the cargo hold while the second-row seat moves fore and aft 5.5 inches.

Standard safety features include dual front and side airbags, side curtain air bag for rear rows, stability, hill descent and traction controls, four-wheel antilock brakes, rearview camera, rear-cross traf fic, forward-collision and side-blind zone alerts, lane keep assist with departure warning, front/rear park sensors, tire pres sure monitoring system and daytime run ning lights. Magnetic Ride Control adjusts the four-wheel independent suspension as per road conditions, resulting in a smooth but firm ride. It also keeps body roll to a minimum.Itmayweigh

almost 5,800 pounds, but the Escalade has bountiful power that re sults in a graceful, smooth and easy-rid ing companion as your passengers ride in luxury. All you need is an overblown bank balance to pamper yourself and the family.

FOREVER GREEN LAWN & PEST CONTROL ENSURES A GREEN AND LUSH LAWN

By Michelle Caceres

Keeping a Florida lawn healthy is no easy task, requiring year-round maintenance and pest control. Choosing to put of deal ing with fungal infections or pest infesta tions can be costly and require entire sod replacement.Valricoresident Judith Vanzulli’s lawn is green and lush thanks to Forever Green Lawn & Pest Control. Five years ago, when her former lawn care company closed its business, she started looking for another company to care for her grass.

Forever Green’s pricing was competitive and its technicians were knowledgeable, so she decided to give them a try. She’s glad she“They’redid. so consistent and dependable and my grass looks good all the time,” she said.Customer Valeria Ortero concurred. She appreciates how easy it is to contact them and has been impressed with its services.

“We had tried other lawn care companies and were disappointed,” said Ortero.

She had to resod her lawn twice before finding Forever Green. Her lawn has been healthy ever since. She was such a satisfied cus tomer, and so she hired them to help her father,

whose homeowners association told him he needed to resod his lawn.

“A Forever Green technician came out and was able to overcome the weed and insect problems and save his grass, which is now green and lush,” she said. “I really wish we had known about Forever Green years ago.”

Owner Ben Compton said that customer satisfaction is one of the reasons why For ever Green is still in business after 35 years. “We strive to make our customers proud of their lawn,” he said.

Each customer is assigned a personal lawn care expert, ensuring they learn the customer’s preferences and finish the job to their personal satisfaction.

The company ofers a variety of services, from lawn spraying and pest control to tree and shrub maintenance and laying fertilizer. It uses nontoxic chemicals that are safe for

pets.Forever

Green is a family-owned business founded by Mike Compton and takes pride in the quality of its work.

“We’re a family and we treat our custom ers like they’re family too,” said Compton.

For more information or to schedule a free estimate, call 813-324-1004 or visit www.fglawn.com.

Forever Green Lawn & Pest Control creates healthy and lush lawns for its customers.

SOAR TO NEW HEIGHTS WHEN URBAN AIR BRANDON OPENS THIS FALL

By Sharon Still

GET YOUR SOCCER ON WITH TAMPA DYNAMO FC

Urban Air Trampoline and Adventure Park will open this fall in the Bloomingdale Plaza in the space vacated by Winn-Dixie a few years ago.

Urban Air Trampoline and Adventure Park, the ultimate indoor adventure park, is scheduled to open in the early fall on the southeast corner of Bloomingdale Avenue and John Moore Road in the space former ly occupied by Winn-Dixie. The 47,195 sq. ft. venue features attractions for kids of all ages and is the perfect place for kids’ birth day parties and other special events.

“We know families are looking for ways to spend more time together, and as the premier destination for family fun and ad venture, we’re thrilled to bring our park experience to even more families in Bran don,” said Urban Air’s founder and CEO, JayAtThomas.Urban Air, guests will jump, soar, race, climb and play among wall-to-wall trampolines. Climbing walls, dodge ball, a tubes playground, go-karts and laser tag are just a few of the activities to en joy. Bowling, mini golf, a multilevel ropes course and much more are ofered at this ultimate indoor playground.

This is the second Urban Air location for franchise owners Michael and Tracey Tuc ci, parents of three kids who are already in love with Urban Air. The couple also owns the New Tampa franchise. “We are honored and excited to bring the Urban Air experi

ence to Brandon and partner with such a great shopping center like Bloomingdale Pla za,” said Michael Tucci. “Bran don is an amazing community that will enjoy a full-service family entertainment adven ture park with attractions for all ages, and we are thrilled to expand to this area of Hills borough County.”

Urban Air is not your typi cal trampoline park; it takes the concept to a whole new level, and each park is unique. Families will enjoy a one-of-a-kind experience, soaring to new heights and making unforgettable memories. With attractions for every level of adventurer, mini warriors have plenty of new activities to try that will be challeng ing and help build self-esteem.

Day tickets, monthly memberships fea turing unlimited play and birthday party bookings are available online. Also, those interested in applying for a job can do so on the website. The facility will employ about 60Forpeople.year-round indoor amusements for the whole family in the Brandon area, Ur ban Air Trampoline and Adventure Park will be the perfect place. Residents can track the site progress of Urban Air Bran don on Facebook and sign up for updates, coupon ofers and view the park’s various attractions on the Urban Air Brandon web site.Urban

Air Adventure Park is located at 179 E. Bloomingdale Ave. in Brandon. Park hours will be 3-8 p.m. from Monday through Thursday, 3-10 p.m. on Friday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m.-8 p.m. on Sunday. For more information, call 800960-4778 or visit www.urbanair.com.

Tampa Dynamo FC is a nonprofit club re siding at two locations. Its main campus is at Summerfield Sports Complex in Riverview and its second location is at Keith Waller Park in TheDover.club has pro vided opportunities in both competitive and recreational soccer to the community for many years now. “Just last year there was a complete change in the board of directors with a renewed interest to bring soccer to the areas surrounding both parks and provide programs for all levels of play,” said Chris Farnworth of Tampa Dyna mo FC. “Sometimes there can be too much of a focus by clubs on the competitive pro grams when getting as many kids as possi ble out on the fields, learning the game and having fun should be the goal.”

Tampa Dynamo FC is a nonproft club residing at two locations. Its main campus is at Summerfeld Sports Complex in Riverview and its second location is at Keith Waller Park in Dover. Registration is currently open to children and adults.

By Libby Hopkins

community that have an interest in playing the beautiful game of soccer and to know they have a place to play,” Farnworth said.

“Our recreational pro grams, both youth and adult, are designed to be for all levels of play.

A kid playing for the first time is just as wel come as a kid that has been in the programs for multiple seasons.

An adult with interest playing can join our adult recreational pro gram to play and meet others in the community.”

Farnworth first became involved with the Tampa Dynamos three years ago after mov ing to the area with his family from Man chester, England. “I was keen to be involved with Tampa Dynamo, as it had the oppor tunity to serve as a key figure in our local community,” Farnworth said. “I was looking to be involved with a club that was provid ing players and families a great environment to develop and now it is an amazing thing to be a part of our Dynamo Family.”

The Dynamos are currently gearing up for their registration and they are looking to the community for players who want to have fun. “We want any kids and adults in the

The league has a competitive program that is being rebuilt and has made amazing strides in just the last year. “We nearly dou bled our number of competitive teams from last season to now and are always looking to provide opportunities to kids that are looking for that professional-led training the program provides,” Farnworth said.

Farnworth has high hopes for the Tampa Dynamos. “We hope to continue our great work within the local community providing an afordable program to as many players as possible,” Farnworth said. “We want to see growth in numbers while maintaining our family atmosphere. Our staf, our board, our coaches know many of the families in the programs because they take the time to meet them and talk to them. Most impor tantly, we want Tampa Dynamo FC to be a club that people can be proud to represent.”

For information,, visit www.tampady namofc.com.

WOMEN IN AVIATION INTERNATIONAL AND AEROSPACE CENTER FOR EXCELLENCE HOST EVENT TO INSPIRE YOUNG FEMALE PILOTS

Women in Avi ation Interna tional is hosting the eighth annual Girls in Aviation Day event on Saturday, Sep tember 24 at the Aerospace Center for Excellence in Lakeland. The 10 a.m.-2 p.m. free event will include STEM activities, such as a flight simulator and drone lab, and an aviation exhibit. The Aerospace Center for Excel lence will have a scavenger hunt during Girls in Aviation Day to provide a fun, engaging activity to teach participants asDuringwell. the event, women aviators will have the oppor tunity to connect with the local aviation business community to learn more about the aerospace and aviation industry. Gen erous volunteers and employees from Women in Aviation International and the Aerospace Center for Excellence have do nated their time to put on the free event to foster a love for the industry through the“Thepartnership.international organization of women who work in the aviation and aerospace field have this event primarily to expose young girls to the aviation and aerospace industry so they see that it is accessible to them,” said executive direc tor Eric Crump.

By Lily Belcher

The Aerospace Center for Excel lence is hosting the event to make it accessible to aspiring aviators and to give them the opportunity to be mentored by a pilot or lead er in their field.

“They have eight women who have various jobs, from air trafc controller to aviation maintenance techni cian [to] pilot, who work all in the sector and are there for girls to … talk to them [and] meet a friend,” said Crump.

Registration for the free event opened at the end of August. Upon registering, girls ages 11-17 will be entered into a drawing for a free discovery flight and notified if they won at the event. While the event is aimed toward young girls, their families, parents and siblings are in vited to attend as well.

“The goal really for us as an organiza tion is to make sure people realize that aviation and aerospace is for everybody,” said Crump. “It’s not exclusive, it’s inclu sive; we want everybody.”

For more information about or to reg ister for the event and to learn how to get involved, visit https://aceedu.org/ or email educate@flysnf.org with questions.

The event will be located at 4075 James C. Ray Dr. in Lakeland.

Te Aerospace Center for Excellence is donating time and resources to support the Girls in Aviation Day in September.